The daily routine of the ancient imperial examination

After going to the Qionglin Banquet the next day, a eunuch came to announce the imperial decree, bestowing seven-rank official uniforms, and a hundred taels of silver, and allowing a two-month holiday to return home to visit relatives, and then return to Beijing to take up his post.

Time was urgent, and after confirming the time to return to Beijing, Lu Xiuyuan and Shi Yunchen bought some gifts for his family in the capital, and then bid farewell to his master and brother, and returned to his hometown in Linjie Province.

Thinking that when he set off from his hometown, he was still a young scholar, and after only half a year, he was already a seventh-rank official of the imperial court.

Thinking of the Zhang family at home, Lu Xiuyuan's heart jumped for joy, and he felt like returning home.

But even if they speed up and speed up on the way home, they can't keep up with the court's fast horse flying report.

Jinshan Village, Ping'an County

Today is the day when the youngest son of Lu Xiuwu, the head of the Lu family, drank the full moon wine. Early in the morning, the neighbors in the neighborhood ran to the Lu family to help tidy up the furniture, wash and choose vegetables.

"Mother Dawu, you've come a long way now! Your son is promising, and your grandson is also in your arms. You can enjoy the blessings in the days to come!"

Hearing the neighbor's compliment, Mrs. Zhang smiled and patted each other's hands: "It's still a long time to enjoy the blessings. My little grandson can't leave people every day now, and it's tiring to take care of the grandson every day!"

The other party knew that Zhang was complaining but showing off. Didn't she see that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened a lot when she smiled?

The man laughed twice and continued to compliment him: "Your Erlang is already raising people. After he comes back to get married, you will have to hold a grandson again. When the time comes, your grandchildren will be around your knees. Don't be too happy!"

Mrs. Zhang laughed even happier when she heard this: "Soon, soon, we will get married when Erlang comes back."

That person wanted to continue to boast, but Mrs. Zhang was suddenly called away by Lu Dafu.

"Damn it, come and see it!"

"What's the matter?" Mrs. Zhang got up and came to Lu Dafu's side.

The other party pointed to a strange man outside the courtyard door with a puzzled expression, "This man said it was your cousin who came to give our grandson a full moon gift."

Mrs. Zhang squinted her eyes and looked around. She looked familiar, but she hadn't contacted her natal family for 800 years because of some things. She didn't expect her distant relatives to find her.

"You see if the gift is serious, and if it's not serious, just accept it, keep an account, and return it when you have a chance in the future, and you don't need to say hello."

After giving these orders, Mrs. Zhang went to the room of the eldest son of Westinghouse.

After pushing the door and entering, Xiulan was hugging the baby and breastfeeding. Seeing the cute expression of her little grandson sipping and sipping, the corners of the mouth couldn't help raising the corners of her mouth.

"Is the baby good? How much milk did you drink today? After a while, remember to pat it vertically and don't put it directly on the bed, it's easy to drink milk."

Xiulan hugged the baby, smiling tenderly: "I know mother."

"There are a lot of people today, and relatives who can't hold a pole will come to accompany the gift. After a while, you will stay in the house with the baby in your arms. I will ask Dawu to bring you some meals. After the people leave, I will take the baby out to get some air."

Xiulan obediently agreed.

Ever since her brother-in-law passed the exam, there have been more and more relatives in the family. The situation is not bad today, but it was exaggerated during the Chinese New Year. Everyone who knew her or not came to visit Mrs. Zhang to pay New Year's greetings. The threshold of the room was almost destroyed. Flatten.

After watching the little grandson, Mrs. Zhang continued to entertain guests in the yard with a smile on her face. At this moment, there was a burst of blowing, playing, singing, and drums outside.

Listening to this movement, it seems to be coming this way.

Mrs. Zhang's face was a bit ugly, she glared at Lu Dafu: "Didn't I tell you that the child is still young, so I should do it a little bit? Why do you want to play and sing?"

Lu Dafu wiped his face, and he didn't understand what was going on now, how could he have the money to hire someone to play and sing?

While speaking, the beating of the gong stopped at the gate.

Mrs. Zhang wiped her hands on her waist, and walked quickly to the door. She was just about to tell those people to let them go back, but suddenly noticed that the clothes of these people were different.

The two people who hit the gong in front were not the coarse bunts of the countrymen, but the mighty red officials.

It was these two people who came to announce the good news last time, and now that the other party saw Zhang Shi coming out, they hurriedly bowed their hands to congratulate Zhang Shi.

"We brothers are here to announce the good news. Congratulations to Mrs. Lu! Congratulations to Mrs. Lu!"

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang was silent when she reached the door, people in other courtyards couldn't help walking over.

Then he saw the picture in front of him and was stunned.

Here, what's going on here?

Why are there still officials here?Is the other party also coming to drink the full moon wine from Lu Dalang's house?

Looking at the two red-clothed officials, a thought suddenly came to Zhang's heart. She looked at the two men and asked tentatively, "Is it Erlang..."

The other party smiled, and unfolded the happy news in his hand and began to read:

"Happy news! Good news! Mr. Lu Xiuyuan, Ping'an County, Linjie Province, won the No.1 No.[-] in this year's palace examination, and will be awarded the No. [-] Scholar and No. [-]."

As soon as the words fell to the ground, the whole courtyard fell silent, and everyone held their breath and looked at the two officials in disbelief.

Did they hear correctly?First No.1?No. [-] and No. [-]?

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang was still standing there in a daze, the two officials smiled and shook the happy news in their hands.

"Lady Lu? Mother of the number one scholar? Get the good news quickly."

coax!

The courtyard was in a mess like a pot of porridge exploding, and everyone realized that Zhang's youngest son really got the number one prize.

"Mother Dawu! Your youngest son, Wenqu Xingjun, has come down to earth! He is so powerful!"

Upon hearing this, a neighbor next to him retorted: "What is it called Dawu his mother? Now she is the number one scholar!"

"The number one scholar! Congratulations!"

Hearing the flattering words of others, Mrs. Zhang couldn't recover for a long time.

"My son won the first prize?"

Lu Dafu beside him was not much better either, staring blankly at the two officials with his mouth wide open.

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang didn't believe it, the other party pointed out the name of Xibao to her: "Look, mother of the number one scholar, is this the name of Master Lu?"

Mrs. Zhang looked at the place pointed by the other party, and there was indeed Lu Xiuyuan's name written on it stroke by stroke. Although she could not read, she asked Xiaolian to teach the names of their family members after Erlang passed the exam.

After confirming that Erlang was indeed the champion, Zhang felt that she couldn't control the thumping of her chest.

This time it was Lu Dafu who came to his senses first, and the other party quickly tugged on Zhang's sleeve, and said anxiously: "What the hell are you doing, hurry up and give me a reward!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang patted her chest, and hurried back to her room to get the money. Their family's money is now in the custody of her daughter-in-law, Xiulan. When Mrs. Zhang entered, Lu Xiuwu was teasing the baby with his wife.

Putting his finger to the baby's mouth, the child closed his eyes and sucked it up. Lu Xiuwu, who was a father again, had a great time playing.

Mrs. Zhang took the money as if sleepwalking, saw the couple playing, and said, "Just now, the official sent an announcement, saying that Erlang won the first prize in the exam, do you want to go and see?"

After speaking, he went out to reward with erratic footsteps.

Lu Xiuwu in the room was also a beat slower before jumping up excitedly: "Erlang has won the first prize?!"

Xiulan also looked surprised. Although she didn't know what the level of the champion was, they had never seen any champion in the neighborhood, and the only one was her brother-in-law.

Both of them couldn't sit still, Lu Xiuwu rushed out the door with a brisk step, Xiulan patted the baby in her arms gently, and then slowly put him down.

When Xiulan went out, the two officials had just left.

Waves of people in the courtyard surrounded the Zhang family, pouring out a basketful of good words that don't require money.

Mrs. Zhang glanced at Xiulan in the yard from the corner of her eye, and hurriedly greeted, "Xiulan, go find all the drinking cups and let our relatives and neighbors help wash them. The county magistrate will come to our house soon!"

As soon as this was said, before Xiulan had time to look for it, her third aunt volunteered: "I know where your water cup is, so I'll come and look for it! Let's watch the kids in the room!"

Thinking that the county magistrate was about to bring people here, many people who lived nearby rushed home and changed into more decent clothes.

The same is true for Lu Dafu next to him. He nervously tugged at Mrs. Zhang, and then pointed to his clothes: "Do you think my clothes are okay? Do you want to take out the red dress for the Chinese New Year and change into it?"

Thinking of that dress, Mrs. Zhang was speechless: "It's already May, if you don't mind the heat, you can take it out and wear it."

Lu Dafu lowered his head resentfully, and cheered up the next second.

"I have to find out the tea leaves I treasured, and make them for the magistrate to drink later!"

They haven't been busy here for a long time, when they heard a child outside the door rushing over and reporting the situation out of breath: "The county magistrate has entered the village! He will be there soon!"

When everyone heard this, they hurriedly arranged their clothes and urged Mrs. Zhang to greet her.

Just as Zhang's step was about to step out of the house, he felt that it was inappropriate to take it back.

When Erlang was admitted as the No. [-] Scholar, if the magistrate of the county comes to announce the good news, he must come to his house to announce the good news. She can't be too active.

Seeing Mrs. Zhang like this, the others became anxious like ants on a hot pot, "Da Wu, oh no, why don't you leave?"

Mrs. Zhang touched her wrist: "Too bad, I forgot the bracelet that Erlang gave me last time, you guys go first."

After saying that, Mrs. Zhang hurried back to the room.

Mrs. Zhang hasn't left yet, so where can they go?They can only wait around in circles.

Finally, when Mrs. Zhang came out wearing the bracelet, the county magistrate outside had almost arrived at the door of the house.

A group of people couldn't wait to walk out of the gate, and saw not far away, headed by the county magistrate, followed by several masters and a group of yamen servants, at a glance, there were about fifty or sixty people.

There are so many here.

Seeing the county magistrate, the villagers all began to kneel down, but the county magistrate ran two steps quickly to support Zhang and Lu Dafu.

"Don't kneel, don't kneel!"

After holding him up, the county magistrate hurriedly got the villagers next to him to get up again.

"I'm here for He Xi, so you don't have to be too restrained."

Mrs. Zhang and the others politely invited the county magistrate to sit down in the room, and the other neighbors quickly poured water for everyone in the county government.

The county magistrate is not very old, and the official position was bought by his predecessor who was caught for corruption. Originally, the other party planned to stay in Ping'an Town for the rest of his life, eating and waiting for death. Who would have thought that there would be a Lu Juren back then!

Do you know how long it has been since Ping'an County issued a Juren?How many juren have there been in history?This is performance!

On the same day, someone gave a reward of one hundred taels of silver to the Lu family, but he didn't expect that in less than half a year, the other party won the first prize again.

The number one scholar is much more powerful than Juren, and they didn't have a champion in Dongshi Mansion!

Now the county magistrate stopped drinking tea, and hurried to Jinshan Village with reward silver.

"Lu Erlang endured hardships and stood hard work. He studied hard for many years and finally achieved today's success. You accept the 500 taels of silver because I encouraged him."

500 taels? !

Everyone looked at the box of silver, and their eyes began to glow.

"Is this too much..." Lu Dafu couldn't close his mouth.

"Not much, not much." The young county magistrate smiled, "If there are other people in our county who can be admitted to the first prize, I will give it to him as well."

None of the villagers were envious of this scene, but the No. [-] scholar in the country was admitted so easily. Although these people were sour, they were also sourly convinced. Anyway, they would definitely not be able to do it. .

Sensing the thoughts of everyone in the room, Mrs. Zhang hesitated for a while, and finally said what she was thinking.

"It just so happens that the magistrate of the county is here, and I would like to ask you to help me to be a witness."

"What testimony?"

"This silver..." Mrs. Zhang pushed the wooden box next to the silver, "Why don't you take it out and start an ethnology study, our village doesn't have a school yet."

"The mother of the number one scholar is very kind!"

The county magistrate applauded immediately.

Everyone else was stunned. They didn't know what Mrs. Zhang was doing. How could she push it outside when she had money?

Even though it was donated to the clan, they also benefited.