Ding Tian's Ancient Life

Hu Wei's hobby is painting, and Ding Tian has several picture scrolls given by his uncle.

As the saying goes, "Qinqi, calligraphy and painting, poetry, wine and flower tea".

Some people like to paint, and some people like to drink tea.

A classmate friend of Hu Wei loves tea.

The gifts given to Hu Wei every year are some teas that he thinks are delicious, no matter what kind of tea, even scented tea, fruit tea, etc.

and so on.

So Hu Wei also knows something about tea.

Both of them dressed very richly, and Ding Tian specially chose a navy blue brocade gown with dark gold patterns for his uncle, which made him look like a wealthy and sensible scholar.

He himself was dressed in a blue-red robe, but he stepped on a pair of official boots. He was obviously a servant. With such a dress, even an ordinary person could know that their identities were not simple.

After entering the door, there was naturally a waiter from the store to greet them. Ding Tian chose an elegant seat, which was a good place between the tea tables, separated by a bamboo screen, and had a wide view of the stage.

Ding Tian had more than 50 taels of silver in his pocket, and a bank note of 500 taels, which was enough for everything, so he ordered the best "Junshan Silver Needle" very generously, and ordered the most expensive one for dim sum. Eight-treasure dim sum box.

The clerk put on a warm wet towel board, and the two of them wiped their hands. Ding Tian rewarded the clerk with a silver peanut bean.

"Thank you, young master, for the reward!" The waiter in the shop was very discerning, and because Hu Wei looked a bit like Ding Tian, ​​he thought they were father and son.

In fact, a nephew looks like an uncle.

Hot tea, snacks, and storytellers on stage, these are the daily appearances of teahouses.

However, Ding Tian has not been here a few times. He came here twice with Master Du, and once with Yun Huaqing. Yun Huaqing told him about this place. It's for entertainment... Now Yun Huaqing is studying at home, preparing for the fall.

Today I'm talking about "The Legend of the White Snake". It's just started, and the storyteller is very talented. The part where I learned how to be a man from a white snake and a green snake, I pretended to be a female voice with my throat. Brand new copper plate.

And Hu Wei also felt that he had enjoyed it.

In fact, their uncle and nephew really didn't care much about this elegant enjoyment.

It's just...just after the storyteller went down, the stage was being set up. Taking advantage of this free time, people went to the bathroom, washed their hands, and chatted...it was an intermission.

Ding Tian heard that there was a table of guests next door, talking about the government examination.

A young voice said: "This is the first time and the last time that Lord Fuzun presides over this exam. After hearing about Li Xia, Lord Fuzun will be promoted to Lord Governor."

"The current imperial examination! I don't like it." Another middle-aged voice said: "The last government examination was three years ago, right? That corrupt official made the government examination hall full of chaos, but he himself was snapped neatly." If you die, others will have to delay the exam for three years... Sigh!"

"Tell me, what is the content of this exam?" Another voice asked, "Will someone bet on the questions?"

As soon as Ding Tian heard "betting on the title", he became interested.

Hu Wei was even more so, he stood up directly and went to the private seat next door!

Ding Tian didn't go, he was wearing official boots, he looked like a member of the government, if he had passed, no one would dare to talk about the government exam questions.

Hu Wei, on the other hand, dressed in a low-key and rich manner, and was a scholar. As soon as he passed by, he bowed his hands and bowed: "My younger brother is also here to catch the exam. His surname is Hu, his name is Wei, and his name is Yuanda. I don't know how many?"

"My surnames are Lin, Lin Jian, and Lin Zenghui."

"My surnames are Zhang, Zhang Miao, and Zhang Sanshui."

"My surname is Li, my name is Guiyou, and my name is Qiusheng. They also call me Qiuguan."

The four of them knew each other, and all four of them were scholars, but they were not from the same class. After notifying each other of their names, they invited Uncle Hu to sit down and chat.

The biggest among them is Qiuguan, Li Guiyou. He is 40 years old and is a teacher in Lijia Village outside the city.

Speaking of the government examination, everyone has experienced it, and they chatted well, but at this moment, another person came over from next door. This person was dressed plainly and only had a jade pendant on his waist. …Holding his hands together, he introduced himself: "My name is Zhang Youliang, whose name is Yimin."

"Needless to say, is the third young master of the Zhang family's second room, Yimin?" Zhang Miao glanced at him: "The name is not worthy of the name."

Young Master Zhang San was not discouraged, instead he didn't invite a seat, and sat down by himself: "Several of you, there are some students who want to take the exam, right?"

"That's needless to say?" Qiu Guan is getting older and calmer: "It's a pity that the Zhang family can't take the exam."

The Zhang family is still observing filial piety, and within three years of the old man's death, the Zhang family will not want to take the imperial examination.

But Li Qiuguan said this to tell everyone that the Zhang family is still observing filial piety, and this one is going out to meet friends... and going to the theater later, isn't it too disrespectful?

In ancient times, the life and death were very important, okay?

"I'll just say a few words and leave." Young Master Zhang San said quickly: "This time, the sub-problem I pressed was 'King Mu Muwen', and the previous sentence 'is a human being, so why not compare to a bird?' For your reference."

After speaking, he got up and said goodbye.

The four of them were a little confused when they heard this, but Ding Tian saw this Young Master Zhang San, and went to the teahouse in the lobby downstairs, talked to some young students, and then left the teahouse.

As soon as he left, the gongs started on the stage.

Because there is an exam, the theater troupe sang "Wat on the Bed" in order to win the prize, which is just right.

Among them, the scene of "drunk beating the golden branch" was the most lively scene, but it also caused a lot of applause. Taking advantage of his uncle watching the play, Ding Tian slipped downstairs, sat in the lobby and kept changing seats, and finally moved to the side of several students. Before changing to their table, the seat he was optimistic about was taken by someone. The person probably disliked the loud sound on the stage, so he chatted loudly with those students, and he actually said the same thing. The content of the examination questions of the second government examination!

Ding Tian thought of a possibility and shivered!

But after the opera ended, the Hu family's uncle returned to the original private seat, and Ding Tian had already returned.

"It's already noon, why don't you go to the restaurant opposite to eat something?" Ding Tian pulled his uncle to stand up: "Their distiller's lees quail is the most special!"

"Really?" Uncle Hu didn't think much about it: "Then go and taste it."

The two of them went to the restaurant, and they also wanted a private seat, but a group of teenagers next door were still discussing the content of the exam.

Ding Tian frowned again.

It didn't take long for the food to arrive. After the two of them ate, the Hu family uncle drank some wine: "This dish is good, especially the quail with distilled grains, which has a unique flavor."

"I knew you would like it." Ding Tian carried a long string of paper bags in his hand: "I specially bought [-] of them and brought them home for everyone to taste. Well, I will send two more to the prince."

He whispered the last sentence.

"You can tell people everything, why are you so quiet?" Uncle Hu couldn't see any sneaky behavior of his nephew, and thought that a gentleman should be open-minded.

Especially the nephew is already a lord, so he can't shrink back like ordinary people.

"You'll know this when you get back..." The two wandered back home, Ding Tian finished sharing the distiller's lees and quail brought back, and then told his uncle some of Wang Zuo's scruples: "He is also a poor man."

"Oh my God!" Uncle Hu's family seemed to be struck by lightning: "It's not easy for him to grow up... It's not easy! It's said that once you enter the Hou family, it's as deep as the sea, and the gate of the palace is much higher than that of the Hou family. gone."

As an ordinary person, Uncle Hu's family doesn't have such big ambitions, he just thinks about his wife and children being hot on the bed, and a little bit of ability to not be bullied, that's all.

"So, uncle, even if you want to buy something for the prince outside, you can't say much." Ding Tian said with his things in his hands, "I'll give these two to the prince. By the way, I'm going to talk about business. Let's eat, join them, today there is a stewed Sibai, it tastes good."

"Okay, let's go!" For the first time, Uncle Hu felt that a wealthy family is not a blessed place.

Ding Tian quickly ran to the Governor's Mansion and had a sumptuous dinner at Wang Zuo's.

By the way, I lived there. Anyway, my uncle would not come out to look for him at night if he had nothing to do. At worst, he would say that he had "official duties".

The next day was two days before the exam, the government office was extremely busy, and it happened that there was nothing to do in the cell, even the jailer was seconded out.

"I won't go?" Ding Tian said to Du Zhifu in the study: "My two cousins ​​and one brother-in-law both take exams, so I have to

Avoid suspicion! "

"It's just to let you go outside and take a look, not to let you in." Du Zhifu smiled: "In the examination room, you can't take a step."

Those who can't go in, at most, are directing people to help move an exam paper or something, oh, and it's cool, remember to be ready. "

The two chatted about the government test for a while, and Ding Tian realized that everyone who was so busy with the government test almost couldn't care about spring plowing, but Du Zhifu said that after the government test, spring plowing should be done immediately.

And Master Du came back when the two of them were talking about their energy, "My lord, I have already sent Kong Xuezheng back to his residence."

"

Kong Xuezheng, the new Xuezheng, the former retired and returned home.

This middle-aged man, who just took office this year, is full of bookishness. It is said that he is a member of the branch of the Confucian Mansion in Qufu, Shandong.

Moreover, he is a clean and honest official and cares about students. He was newly transferred from Beijing. He once stayed in the Imperial Academy for ten years. During his tenure in the Imperial Academy, his favorite place was the Library Pavilion of the Imperial Academy.

After arriving here, the first thing to do is to carry out education work, otherwise, Prefect Du really can't think of it, and he needs to take a test...he is too busy.

The style of writing in the north is not as popular as in the south, so there are not many literati here.

Ding Tian was left to have a light meal at noon. After the meal, because the government exam was going to be held tomorrow, the prefect Du finally summoned people to assign tasks.

And Ding Tian lived in the government office at night, so he didn't go back.

The next day, he got up early in the morning to have breakfast. Ding Tian had a special status, so he had breakfast with Du Zhifu. After breakfast, while tasting tea, Ding Tian remembered the "pending questions" in the old building and asked Du Zhifu: "I don't know, what is the test question this time?"

Prefect Du pointed to the paper on the table and said, "This is the exam question."

Sub-topic: "Is it human but not as good as a bird? The poem goes: King Mu Muwen"

When Ding Tian heard it, he broke out in a cold sweat: "Who wrote this question?"

"This topic was agreed upon by our government and Kong Xuezheng two days ago." Prefect Du stroked his beard and said, "This topic is very ingenious. The first half sentence is from "Great Learning", and the second half sentence is from "Book of Songs". "

This kind of question that is pinched together is very difficult to solve. Sometimes, you must be familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics, and you must be able to recite them before you can answer this question.

And the "Poetry" says: "King Mu Muwen, stop Yu Jixi!"

It is about the character of King Wen, who was highly valued in history. As a king, he stopped at benevolence; as a minister, he stopped at respect; as a son, he stopped at filial piety; as a father, he stopped at kindness; Yu Xin.

He is a very noble ancient man.

"What's exquisite?" Ding Tian was in a hurry, and interrupted Du Zhifu's intoxication: "This topic was discussed in the restaurant two days ago!"

"What?" Prefect Du was so excited that he almost tore off his beard: "This is impossible!"