Lucky husband

It is a great joy for the Li family for the two scholars of the Li family, two brothers who have passed the Tongsheng examination, and have since then been qualified to take the official imperial examination.

However, before everyone was overjoyed, Li Mingli suddenly mentioned that he didn't want to continue studying.

"Mingli, what are you talking about!" The person who was most shocked was not old man Li, old lady Li, or Li Chengzhi, but Bai Xiuhe.

Judging from the performance of the two sons before, she always felt that the two children are quite talented in reading, not only suitable for reading, but also like reading.

Because usually, Li Mingde and Li Mingli would review their homework every morning and evening, and also practice calligraphy unshakably, no matter they were going home after taking a rest or going home for vacation.

She quietly took the paper on which her two sons finished practicing calligraphy. Although she couldn't understand what was written on it, she could still tell the difference between good and bad.

The eldest son Li Mingde's handwriting is quite standard, the size of each word, and the length of each stroke is about the same. Regular is regular, but it doesn't give people a particularly good-looking feeling.

The characters of the second son, Li Mingli, are different. Some strokes of characters with the same shape will be slightly changed, which makes people feel more interesting. pretty.

The two children's calligraphy is different, not only because of the influence of their personalities, but also because they copied different copybooks when they practiced calligraphy.

Li Mingde learned the Guange style for imperial examinations, while Li Mingli chose a basic calligraphy master's copybook to copy. The reason is that he likes this calligrapher's characters and does not want to learn the well-regulated Guange style.

In the first class in the county school, the master who taught the class said that the font used when taking the exam is best to use Guange style. Perhaps from the copybooks Li Mingli chose at the beginning, it can be seen that he is not too fond of reading and taking the imperial examination. interest of.

Li Mingli has carefully thought about how to tell his family in the past ten days, and he and Li Mingde have also discussed a lot. Facing Bai Xiuhe's surprise, he continued to calmly express his thoughts.

"Father, grandma, father, mother, I used to study hard because I knew that only by studying can we change the current situation of our family. I also know that if I continue to study in the school for a few years or ten years, maybe I can pass the exam. But it’s almost impossible to go any further.”

"In the past year and a half in the school, I know that studying and taking the imperial examination is not what I want. My elder brother is much more suitable than me. Instead of wasting a lot of time taking a test for a scholar who is not very useful, I might as well learn something else. Skills, so that you don’t know anything but reading when you get married and start a business.”

Speaking of this, Li Mingde is actually not sure about where he can go in the imperial examination, but he is not like his younger brother Li Mingli who can retreat, and Li Mingde bears the expectations of the entire Li family's seniors, so he will not If he easily proposes not to study, he will study harder and hope to get better grades.

"I've already thought about what to do after I don't study. I want to be an apprentice in a bookstore in the county seat. I like reading and counting. If I can be the shopkeeper of a bookstore in the future, that would be great."

Li Mingli thought of going to a bookstore as an apprentice. Li Mingde thought it was pretty good after hearing it. He agreed with his younger brother's decision.

Apprentices in bookstores have always been more demanding than other places. Li Mingli, who has a reputation as a child, wants to go, presumably the people in the bookstore will not refuse.Moreover, for the Li family, the bookstore has something to do with reading. Their children have worked hard in the school and passed the entrance examination. They are absolutely unwilling to work as carpenter apprentices or blacksmith apprentices. They go to the bookstore. People shouldn't object too much.

After talking about his own plan, Li Mingli suddenly turned his head and asked Li Chengshi: "Third uncle, when the county government organizes the county examination every year, what is the age of the children who go to the county government to take the county examination?"

Li Chengshi thought for a while and replied: "There are teenagers like you, young adults in their 30s and 50s, and seniors in their [-]s and [-]s. As long as they have the honor of Tongsheng, they can all participate in the county examination. "

The county examination is the first step for a student who has a reputation as a child who wants to be a scholar. He passes the county examination organized by the county seat in the first year, and then goes to the prefecture city of the county to take the prefectural examination in the next year. If he passes again, he can pass the county examination in the third year. Go to the provincial capital of the prefecture, that is, the state to take the hospital examination.

After passing the county examination, government examination, and hospital examination, the title of scholar can be awarded.

If you want to be a scholar, it will take at least three years. If you pass the county examination in the first year but fail the government examination in the second year, you can keep the county examination qualification for three years, and you still fail within three years. If you don't take the government test, you have to take the county test again.

Facing the gazes of the whole family, Li Mingli shared what he and Li Mingde had discussed: "There are so many people taking part in the county test alone, which is enough to show that many people have been stuck at the level of a child for the rest of their lives. The children of Zhongxiucai, not to mention the younger ones like me and my eldest brother, but those who are too old to lose face to do other things, even it is difficult to get the job of copying books, there are many people in front of them. Young scholars also earn money by copying books..."

In the past, everyone knew that the county government organized the children to take the exams in April every year. There were a lot of people, and it was even more lively every time the results were announced.

After the two children of the family went to the county school, the Li family realized that it was not easy to be admitted to the scholar. First, they had to obtain the status of a child student in the county, and then they had to take the exam three times in the county, government, and state.

Therefore, most of the Li family knew what Li Mingli said, and no one refuted it.

In fact, the current situation of many children and scholars is not as good as Li Mingli said, because many people have raised their status from the beginning of school, always feel that they can read, and have participated in children's examinations and county examinations, regardless of whether they have obtained the corresponding functions. They are all superior.

When they failed in the imperial examinations, they were either unwilling to admit their failures and continued to study hard, or they drank their sorrows and became more and more decadent.

As far as Jiang Zhiyun and Li Chengshi know, some students or scholars don’t want to go out to work to earn money to support the family. They don’t even do such jobs as copying books and enlightenment. Copy books or be an enlightened teacher.

In such a big environment, after Li Mingli passed the Tongsheng examination, he did not want to continue studying and take the imperial examination, but went to a bookstore as an apprentice. Most people would not understand and support him.

After listening to Li Mingli's words, before the rest of the Li family said anything, Bai Xiuhe took the lead to ask him, "Mingli, are you worried that your family doesn't have enough money, so you said you don't want to take the imperial examination?"

When they first separated, Bai Xiuhe and Li Chengzhi were really worried about the cost of their two children's education and imperial examinations for a while. Later, after starting the rice noodle business, the family's money increased, and they can still afford their two children's education. Examing for talent, as for what happened after being a talent, it was out of Bai Xiuhe's consideration.

"No, mother." Li Mingli shook his head, "I really feel that I am not suitable for the imperial examination. You know that I have been lively and out-of-the-way since I was a child, and it makes me uncomfortable to sit and study every day."

Both of their brothers are not extravagant and wasteful people, and they don't compare themselves with other students. They use whatever they can afford at home. They don't need much money for pens, ink, paper and inkstones, food and clothing, except for repairs, board and lodging. Apart from the cost of rushing to the exam, other expenses are not much, so considering the current conditions of the family, Li Mingli knew that his family could afford it.

Bai Xiuhe wanted to say something else, Li Chengzhi next to her pulled her, and asked with a serious face: "Mingli, have you made up your mind?"

"If you don't study, you won't have a good life in the future. You can't sit comfortably in the school and study. You are just a boy now. Whether you are going to the county bookstore as an apprentice or going home to farm, you will do something every day." There are endless things, endless work, very hard work, very tiring."

Li Chengzhi said these words in order to scare his second son. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Li Mingli immediately stated: "Father, I am not afraid of being busy, not afraid of hardship, and not afraid of being tired. I want to learn a craft. In the future I can support my family by myself, marry a daughter-in-law, and lead a good life with my parents.”

The 12-year-old child eats well in school, does regular exercise, and helps with some farm work when he returns home. Li Mingli has developed well and has grown to the height of Li Chengzhi's shoulders. He looks at Li Chengzhi with bright eyes, making him feel Li Chengzhi couldn't help but startled.

"Okay!" Granny Li, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, "Ambition!"

When she sent her two children to the school in the county seat, her highest expectation for them was to pass the examination as a scholar, and the lowest was to pass the entrance examination as a child student. With knowledge, she could do easier and more profitable work than farming, so that the family could live a better life. good day.

Now, two brothers, Li Mingde and Li Mingli, have both passed the Tongsheng examination. They want to continue their studies to be a scholar. Granny Li is willing to support her. Li Mingli also does not object to Li Mingli's proposal not to continue studying and to learn a craft that can make a living.

Besides, after hearing Li Mingli's words, Mrs. Li felt that it was not wrong to send her two grandchildren to study after listening to the third child. If the two children could not read, they would not be apprentices in the bookstore, but just groceries. The shop's apprentices might not even have their turn.

With the support of Mrs. Li, Li Mingli was overjoyed. He knew that at home, as long as the grandma spoke, sometimes the grandpa had to step aside.

Li Mingli still wanted to strike while the iron was hot before saying something, so old lady Li patted him on the head: "Mingli, I have no objection to the fact that you don't want to continue studying, but what you said now is all your imagination. Since If you want to be an apprentice in a bookstore, then you can go to the bookstore and try, if the manager of the bookstore is willing to accept you, I will agree."

Now that we've talked about this, what else does Li Mingli need to say? He grinned at Old Madam Li: "Grandma, I will definitely make the shopkeeper of the bookstore willing to accept me as an apprentice!"

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