All your life is gentle

In the sixth year of Tianyou (the third year of Yongqian), April [-]th is auspicious, and the first day of the spring test is released.

Outside the yamen of the Ministry of Rites in Xijing, the "Qingyun Ladder" dedicated to posting the yellow list of scientific examination admissions was crowded with people who came to see the list.The so-called "Qingyun Ladder" is actually a wall of water-milled blue bricks.Since the year before last, the admission list for the second spring and autumn examination was posted here, and it has gained such a good reputation.The imperial court set up a total of eight spring test centers in Shuzhou. Candidates from Xijing took the test in the Imperial College, and of course the rankings were released faster than other places.

Zizhou watched from a distance for a while, saw his name, smiled slightly, and went home.

Zi Shi and Zi Gui prepared lunch and waited for him.After passing the spring examination, there is really nothing surprising for the Li family members.Two dishes were added as a celebration.

"Brother." Before Zi Zhou moved his chopsticks, he suddenly said seriously, "I want...I want to take part in the autumn exam."

Zi Shi was taken aback, then raised his head: "Didn't you already agree not to go?"

"But, brother," Zi Zhou looked at Zi Shi, "I want to go."

The young mind should take the cloud.Nothing can support a "want to go".

Zi Shi took a mouthful of the dish and chewed it for a long time, but couldn't taste it.

——What should come, everything will come.

Just two days before the spring exam, Zi Shi gave Zi Zhou a pre-examination sprint tutoring.First, I talked about a few rules that are easy to be neglected in art, literature, poetry, and Fu, and reiterated the tricks of reviewing and solving problems. , I can’t get out of the circle of the words of the sage. All questions start here and end here. Soldiers come to block, water comes to flood the earth. Whatever it asks, you just think in the words of the sage, look for it, and you will be able to find it To the way to deal with it."

Wang Zizhou nodded, and said again: "We don't want to be a blockbuster, we want to be foolproof. You just keep in mind the four words: write a poem that is steady, write a poem that is steady, and write the scriptures implicitly. If you fill it up and fill it up, you will definitely be able to pass this spring test in a smooth manner. "

The twins had never heard such an even and steady statement from their elder brother, and they found it funny, so they giggled.

"Don't laugh!" Zi Shi tapped the folding fan on his younger brother's head, "Golden and jade words, exclusive secrets, many people dream of it, and it's not easy for a thousand dollars. You are near the water and you have the moon first, and you don't have to think about it and apply what you have learned?"

When Zi Shi said this, he was not exaggerating.

On the eve of the autumn examination the year before last, the [-] copies of "Mr. Shouyi's Touching Stone Records" rushed to be printed by "Fuwentang" were all sold out.Those who didn't buy it racked their brains to borrow and copy it, and those who bought it secretly studied it diligently, and Luoyang paper was expensive for a while.At the beginning of last year, the engraved version of this book was republished. Not only the students who took the exam bought it enthusiastically, almost everyone had a copy;"Jiangnan Li Sheng" who compiled this book naturally became famous.It's just that "Fu Wentang" is very tight-lipped, and no one knows who this "Li Sheng" is.

Just last year, "Fu Wen Tang" published a series of reference books for imperial examinations edited by "Jiangnan Li Sheng".Among them, there are monographs on rhyme and rhyme selection in art, literature and poetry, guidance on rules and regulations and flexibility, and precious books on memorizing and reciting the essentials of classics...all of them are concise, concise, targeted, and have remarkable effects.What's even more rare is that the words in the book are fresh and elegant, and the writing is unique and interesting. Several books for exams are not boring to read.

"Fu Wen Tang" also adopted Zi Shi's suggestion, and for the first time used color overprinting technology for pure text books, and printed side notes and other content in two colors of vermilion and blue to show the difference, which was warmly welcomed by readers.Although the price is set a little higher, there are still some people who are generous.As the new round of scientific examinations approached, these books remained high on the new book sales list, earning a steady stream of money for "Fu Wen Tang" and Zi Shi himself.

In this way, "Jiangnan Li Sheng" has become an expert in scientific examinations.Many people are keen to speculate on the identity of the mysterious expert.At one time, it was said that it was a certain adult who won the first rank of Jinshi in the last round of autumn examinations, and he was unwilling to hide his personal experience, so he published his personal experience to share with many scholars; Lu Lu, because he became a good doctor after a long illness, simply made a living by selling his medical knowledge...

Zhou has not read these books.When Zi Shi finished writing, he didn't even keep the foundation, and gave everything to Yin Fuwen.Flicking a stack of drafts with his fingers, he said, "Don't let me see them again, they will cause needles." Boss Yin laughed.

Zi Zhou also asked his elder brother very modestly if he should study the exam scriptures.Zi Shi sneered: "Do you still need to read those? They are all for idiots. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the foundation is here. No matter what happens, it won't run aground. I'll just tell you at the end."

So, right now, Zi Shi is giving his younger brother some strategic guidance before the exam, emphatically explaining the importance of "equality and stability".

"Thousands of examination papers are in the hands of the officials of the Ministry of Rites. The first step is to review the paper. The ugly and dirty handwriting will be screened out. No matter how good your essays and poems are, you will have no chance to be judged by the examiners. The remaining ones that are clean and fresh will be sent to the Hanlin adults who mark the papers, and ask them to have a look."

When Zi Shi said this, he took the tea from Zigui.After taking a sip, he asked, "Isn't this the "fried greens" we bought last time?"

"No." Zigui looked at his elder brother's face, and said in a guilty tone: "This is the "Yunwuxueya" sent by Boss Yin at the beginning of the month. Although it is said to be "fried greens", although it tastes good, it has a dry temper. It’s not good for the spleen and stomach, and it also affects sleep. “Snow Bud” is much milder and has a longer aftertaste—if my brother doesn’t like it, I’ll buy another pot.”

Zi Shi held the teacup, but didn't respond.Just before his birthday, Yin Fuwen sent a lot of things.It's just some daily things such as the four treasures of the study, tea and food utensils, but a lot of work has been done, and everything is perfect.It is only said that the supplementary school of "Poetry and Lihui Yao" is a big project, first provide some condolences and rewards, without the slightest meaning of giving gifts.

Take a look at the clear, clear, green soup and pekoe in the cup, it is indeed good tea.As soon as the young leaves emerge on the Qingming Festival, I don't know how much silver is one tael.Laugh: Sure enough, I am used to eating big food in the autumn wind, and I can't think of self-reliance.

sigh.He just wanted to have fun with the pole, and let him go.Said: "There is no need to change it. What is drinking? Since it is delivered, don't waste it."

Zigui also smiled: "No, it's just tea. What's not to drink? The most important thing is to be good for your body. We will also buy this for ourselves in the future."

Zi Zhou stretched out his hand to his younger sister: ""Yunwuxueya"? That's a good name, give me a cup too."

Zigui gave him a blank look: "When will you drink it well? Everything you drink is a waste." Saying this, he finally handed over a cup.

The three brothers and sisters drank tea for a while, and got down to business.

Zi Shi went on to explain the way of "four levels and eight stability": "When the imperial officials who mark the papers get the examination papers, they first look at the length and format. If the number of words is not enough or the format is wrong, they will be eliminated at a glance. Then they will look at the writing and rhetoric. For example Let’s talk about test post poems, no matter what the content of your writing is, first scan all the way down to see if it meets the requirements of the topic, whether the syntax is correct, whether the rhythm and rhyme are correct, and whether the question is accurate or not... There are more than half of the candidates , folded on top of this link."

Zigui said, "Then there isn't much left in the end?"

"That's not true. After passing through these many levels, the remaining ones start to compare whether they are far-reaching, unconventional, brilliant diction and so on-three or four out of ten will be on the list." Summary , "So, for the three subjects of art and literature, classics and theory, and policy theory, as long as you do well in the three "four balances and eight stability", you don't want to have merit, but you want to have no faults, and the title of this scholar will be guaranteed."

After hearing what his elder brother said, Zizhou realized how high the threshold of the scientific examination was.After thinking about it seriously, he said, "This is no problem, I can do it."

Zigui couldn't help looking at Zishi: "But big brother, why are you so clear about these things? You seem to have been an examiner."

"Haha..." Zi Shi laughed triumphantly, "Finally remembered to ask this. It's not me who knows, but our father who knows! Dad has done grades and served as the chief examiner. Who else is better at these things than him?" clear?"

"Oh..." The twins just remembered that their father was once a dignified number one scholar and a scholar of the Hanlin University, a big man who went in and out of the court to deal with the emperor.The country was destroyed and the family was destroyed, and the three brothers and sisters depended on each other for their lives. In the past, they were prosperous and rich, and there was almost no trace of their dreams.When he arrived in Xijing, he patronized to make a living.For such a long time, Zizhou and Zigui have been ignoring that the three of them are getting closer and closer to their father's official career.

Zi Zhou felt as if he had taken advantage of the elder brother's explanation, and felt a little uncomfortable.Zi Shi understood this younger brother very well, and said solemnly: "These rules are not secret. From the Imperial College to the private schools in the county and township, the masters who teach will talk about it, and the scholars know more or less. When you take an exam, you should answer the questions. Finish the volume according to the system. Those who stumbled in the seemingly insignificant links in the front are mostly not ignorant, but are caused by nervousness and panic. Therefore, you feel as if you are neglecting the basics, but in fact, these small details can reveal a person's temperament and tolerance. ——Don’t underestimate the phrase “everything is stable”, it’s not easy.”

He added: "To pass through these many barriers, in the end, it depends on how well the poems and articles are done, and how much the sages understand. It's just—" the expression became more serious, "All scholars in the world learn the words of the sages, and the annotations and interpretations But there are no less than a hundred. Although the imperial court has appointed three authentic schools, when it comes to the examination room, how to choose one depends on the fashion at the time, and even depends on the personal likes and dislikes of the emperor and the chief examiner."

Take a look at your younger brother: "So, Zi Zhou, you must remember that this sentence "simple and stable" is also aimed at the content of poems and prose. Try to be novel and ingenious, or express your feelings directly, you may win the championship, or you may be lost. It’s not uncommon for people to lose their lives because of careless words. You just need to pass the exam and don’t worry about getting No. 1.”

Eldest brother has already spoken to this extent, so he must be meticulously engraved in his heart.Zi Zhou pursed his lips and nodded heavily: "Brother, don't worry."

Zigui got up to add water.Zi Shi paused for a while, feeling his fingertips were cold, he held the teacup in his hand to warm it up.Slowly said: "Zi Zhou, can you - can you promise me that after the spring test, don't think about the autumn test?"

The idea of ​​the autumn test had been circling in Zizhou's mind.But Brother Intuition will definitely not support it, not to mention that it is still early, so he simply put it aside.Although I knew that my eldest brother's eyes had always been perceptive, I still thought about it for a while, but I didn't expect him to bring it up suddenly at this time.

Really didn't want to give up like this, Zi Zhou hesitated and said, "But..."

Zigui came over and sat down.Zi Shiyu said earnestly: "Daddy has repeatedly mentioned why he was an official and stayed at home in the past. You two are not unaware. With Daddy's ambitions, you will end up ashamed of the government. You can imagine the situation in the court. It is almost the same now. In the past 20 years, listening to folk rumors, I am afraid it will only get worse.

"If Ruoqiu succeeds in the test, he is bound to enter the officialdom. The old man from back then may still be alive. You and I don't know about the relationship in the past and the current situation. One mistake, there is no guarantee that disaster will come. That's why when I entered the customs, we You must insist on falsely reporting your family background..."

He let out a long sigh: "Zi Zhou, elder brother knows that you have great ambitions, aspirations to help the world, and talents to manage the world. But right now, it's really not a good time... Over the years, how many wise and loyal people have been unable to help themselves and have no power to return to heaven. , Putting their aspirations and talents to help the world and the ability to manage the world are all placed in the endless party strife. Some are ruined, some are ruined, some are dead, some are tied to relatives, some are not dead..."

Zigui heard that elder brother was so earnest, although he understood Zi Zhou's wish very well, he still chimed in: "What elder brother means is that we want the three of us to be together safely and happily. As long as we are together safely and happily, nothing is more important. powerful?"

The eldest brother and younger sister begged themselves like this, and all ambitions and ideals were suppressed for a while.In any case, the word "no" couldn't be uttered, so Zi Zhou could only respond, "Okay."

Zi Shi knew very well in his heart that suppressing youthful dreams might be even more difficult than blocking the flood that broke the embankment.Seeing that my brother finally agreed, I breathed a sigh of relief.It's fine if you agree-even if it's just a delay, until he gets older, until the situation changes, and until you and others are more familiar with the Xijing government and the people, it's better than rushing in with your head covered.

Unexpectedly, this brat, after only 20 days, came back after watching the list, probably stimulated by the enthusiastic atmosphere at the scene where the list was released, and changed his mind!

Zi Shi slowly swallowed a mouthful of food: "One cannot be established without faith. You are also a scholar now, how can you be dishonest? Don't go back on what you promised."

It's too abnormal for the eldest brother to go online with himself.Zi Zhou froze for a moment, trapped by the logic he was best at, and didn't know how to refute.After staying for a while, I suddenly remembered the two tricks my elder brother used to deal with this situation: either sophistry or shamelessness.It's not enough to argue with yourself.Playing tricks... Who wouldn't be brave enough?

He stopped eating, and looked at his elder brother intently: "But, brother, I really... really want to go." In the end, he neglected this tone, and repeated dryly with a face full of determination and unyielding.

Zi Shi glanced at him, and said flatly, "Eat first. We'll talk after we finish eating." He ignored him.

After dinner.Zigui left the two brothers to exchange ideas and went to visit because the elder sister of the Wang family next door made an appointment for painting.

Zi Zhou followed Zi Shi, the eldest brother picked up the dishes and he cleaned the table, and the eldest brother washed the dishes and he washed the pot.The eldest brother was still washing his hands, and he was already waiting beside him with a towel.As soon as the eldest brother sat down, he brought tea over, while self-criticism: "I don't have a good cup of tea, so the eldest brother can take a sip..."

Alas...the boy with the blunt head was actually forced to learn how to flatter the horse...Zi Shi was funny and pitiful, took the tea and put it on the table, told him to sit down too, and thought about how to speak.

Just when Zi Zhou was almost flustered by his elder brother's long silence, Zi Shi said, "Zi Zhou, how many... do you remember what your father said when he was dying?"

Zi Zhou was startled, staring at Zi Shi: "Brother!"

"Tell me, how much do you remember?"

It was like returning to that tragic day three years ago.Red flames soared, black smoke filled the air, his father turned into a blazing fireball in front of his eyes, and his mother hung upright on the beam in the hall—all the female relatives in the family, like banners and flags, hung on the beam...Zi Zhou's face turned pale in an instant , Tears gushed out "shua": "Brother...Big Brother..." Trembling all over, weeping uncontrollably, the 15-year-old boy instantly turned back to the 12-year-old child.

Zi Shi walked over and hugged his shoulder: "Brother is here. It's all over, it's okay, it's okay..." He thought: this scar will be healed sooner or later.For three years, Zigui was lucky enough not to see that scene that day, but Zizhou was awake from the beginning to the end.Now that he has grown up, short-term pain is worse than long-term pain, so let's take this opportunity to talk about it.

Patting him on the back, he asked softly, "Tell brother, how much do you remember?"

Zizhou choked with sobs and said, "Daddy said...that we two are not descendants of the Li family...Brother, you...you said that I was adopted...you, you said that I was adopted...uuuu— -" Mentioning the word "adoption", heartbroken, he knelt down at Zi Shi's feet, hugging him and weeping loudly.Zi Shi thought: It seems that he was woken up by that slap at that time, and he remembers the words after that very clearly.From this point of view, when Dad mentioned that person's name before, he probably didn't listen.

Slowly calming Zi Zhou down, he broke each sentence and said, "You and Zi Gui are my flesh and blood relatives. At that time, there is no other choice, so don't hold grudges against big brother, okay?"

"I know, I know... Big brother is always good for us..."

Well, this sentence is enough.Zi Shi was very pleased.

"When the two of you first came here, you were only two years old...I still remember...that spring, Dad went out to do errands, and he came back after going out for more than a month. It was midnight when I came back, and when I woke up the next morning, I saw my mother My aunt and my aunt were holding a little doll, as if they were printed out of the same mold. My mother said, "This is my brother and sister..."

Zizhou opened his eyes wide, listening to his elder brother tell the secret past about himself and Zigui.

"... There are two extra children in the family, no matter what, we can't hide it. Dad told people that it was from the outside room. With his old man's reputation, this matter is like a thunder! The whole Tongcheng is full of discussions. , anyone with a little friendship will rush to see you two." Zi Shi laughed.Thinking about the image of his father, Zizhou couldn't help laughing through his tears, and stood up rubbing his eyes.

"I think at that time, even my mother didn't necessarily know the truth, otherwise she wouldn't be secretly sad. After many years, I overheard her chatting with my little aunt one time, so I vaguely guessed a little bit. Even so, it's nothing The clues, because they spoke too vaguely. The only thing I can understand is that you two were brought back from Beijing quietly by your father."

Looking at Zizhou: "My parents have tried their best to hide this matter for many years, and there must be a reason behind it. If it weren't for the soldiers from the West coming to the city, my father... has made up his mind to die, I'm afraid... he may not be able to say it in this life." Why don't you come out? You insist on going to the autumn exam, and my elder brother is very worried. If you really want to enter the officialdom, our eyes will be darkened, and there is no certainty when and where the trouble will be involved. How can you make your parents feel at ease?"

Zizhou lowered his head: "Brother..."

"Since you blamed me for saying "adoption", let's simply erase this sentence, treat it as if it doesn't exist, and don't touch it again, okay?"

Zizhou raised his head and looked back at Zishi: "Of course. In my heart, I didn't have it."

Remembering that my elder brother had been standing for a long time, I moved the chair over and pulled him to sit down.After touching the tea to cool down, I made another cup of hot tea and brought it to my hand.

Zi Shi looked at his younger brother.This child is upright and upright in nature, although he is much more lively than himself, he is still prudent in the end.Crying, laughing and flattering today, it is rare in 500 years, so we must seize the opportunity to enjoy it.Leaning comfortably on the chair, sipping tea leisurely, the sky is high and the clouds are light for a while, and the breath is refreshing.Said: "You bring me the book sample of "Fuwentang" and the ink brush. While you are not sleepy at the moment, read a few pages."

Zizhou obeyed his orders, and when he finished serving, he held a book by his side to accompany him.

Zi Shi proofread two chapters of the manuscript, his eyes became astringent, and he stopped to rest.Turning around, I saw my younger brother sitting motionless, and I didn't know how long he was in a daze.Knock on the table: "Where are you wandering?"

Zi Zhou was shocked.Looking back at the eldest brother, he looked like he had something to say but didn't dare to say it.

"What kind of expression is this? Is there something you can't say?" Zi Shi was not happy.

"Big brother..."

"Ah."

"Why...why...after hearing your words, when I think of Qiushi, my heart... my heart, itches even more?"