The eldest grandson of the Red Chamber

After entering the Gongyuan, Mingxu went to the prescribed direction according to the "Ren" card in his hand and continued to line up for inspection. When he got to the front, Mingxu obediently took off his coat according to the instructions, opened his arms to accept the body, and endured it. A small official of the government government touched himself back and forth.

It was the first time in more than ten years that he was touched by such a body, and Ming Xu, enduring the discomfort, had a strange frequency jump in his mind. Thinking of the plot in the novel where a woman disguised herself as a man to take the imperial examination, it was really too unsubstantiated. Looking carefully at the inspection on his waist, Ming Xu silently complained that he would definitely be caught on the spot and thrown into prison.

After checking whether there is any entrainment on the body, the examination officer began to look at Mingxu's test basket, Mingxu quietly waited for the last procedure before entering the field.

At this moment, there was a sound from the next door, and then a small examination official came out with an ID card and shouted behind him: "You, come here for me."

Ming Xu was surprised by this sudden situation, and then saw a short, ordinary-looking young man walking in front of the little official, but he didn't see anything wrong.The two stood still, and the little official didn't say much, he just looked at the certificate in his hand and asked: "Where is the ancestral home? The name of the father and grandfather is taboo, please be more careful."

"Zhangjia Village, Minshui Town, Qingfeng County, father's name is Zhang Youcai..."

Mingxu didn't really listen here, but when the examinee surnamed Zhang was comparing his face with the portrait frequently, his body movements gradually became a little flustered, Mingxu didn't know what he was doing. Is it really the shooter who is taking the test, or is he flustered because of this sudden situation? I guess in my heart it is the former. This fellow examinee is nervous, but not calm enough.

Mingxu still wanted to take a closer look, but was urged by the little official beside him who had finished the inspection, and motioned him to go inside.Going further inside is the Kaoshe, Mingxu looked at the number plate in his hand to determine the direction, and vaguely heard a voice from behind.

It sounded a bit embarrassing: "What a black heart, he found someone to replace him, and now it's a kind of cause and effect, but it hurts the few people who are insured with him."

It should be the examinee who was just behind him in the queue, Mingxu smiled after listening to this speech, he is really an innocent child.

But he heard a sneer: "Which of the people in the UNPROFOR doesn't know that this is a real fake, but it's just a fluke. They, whether they are being soft-handed or really being taken and coerced, today's results It's all life."

Mingxu could hear this voice, but it wasn't just that he was a cold-faced official from the government just now, maybe he had seen such "big wind and waves" a lot, so he was not surprised by this, and laughed that the scholar was rare but strange.

"Brother can see clearly, I'm short-sighted..."

There was a scholar's sudden voice behind him, Ming Xu shook his head and smiled, stopped listening, and walked straight to his test room.

Ming Xu is not one of those lucky people, but he has never been bad, so when he finds out that his position is neither in the front nor in the back, and he is not next to the latrine, and temporarily living in a so-called "smelly house", it is very difficult. Fortunately, the requirements are not high, and I don't want to be the special one.

After entering the door, Ming Xu took a rough look at the cramped environment, shook the old bedding on the bed aside, wiped the bed boards with a handkerchief, put the food in the test basket on it, and then checked the desk by the window. Utensils, pens, inks, papers and inkstones, candles and tea cups, etc.

After Mingxu had been busy and familiarized himself with the living environment for the next nine days, when he was looking at the scribbles of the previous candidates on the wall, he suddenly heard a sound of a drum, which made him sit up straight in shock, knowing that this was about to start.

This time, the host of the township examination came in first, and the literati were speechless. When Ming Xu lived in the inn, many people were talking about the chief examiner this time, so they also heard anecdotes about this gentleman, whether true or false, and felt deeply in his heart. Quite a bit of goodwill.

He was a tall man with a dignified face, not like a scribe.Followed by two entourages holding weapons, the chief examiner patrolled the examination room while repeating the rules and regulations of the rural examination, repeating again and again that if any fraud was found, the qualifications for the examination would be revoked.

The examiner left the room and started handing out papers, Ming Xu let out a sigh of relief, and came.

It seems that in order to stabilize the emotions of the candidates, the first day of the rural examination is to test the pasted scriptures, which is the hard knowledge in the books. As long as the back of the books is firm, there will be no major problems.Ming Xu didn't rush to do the questions when he received the paper, he flipped through it roughly, and he had an idea in his mind, first silently wrote the answer on the straw paper, and then copied it on the paper, always being careful not to stain the paper.

The scholars wrote their pens, the courtyard was quiet, and the patrolling people were silent.

……

The sky was getting dark, and Mingxu broke away from the state of concentrating, and suddenly felt a little dazzled, looked up, and saw that the middle-aged scholar in the opposite room had already lit the candle, and was immersed in writing.So I realized that it was already night.

Stretching, Ming Xu stood up and moved his muscles and bones that had been numb for some time, looked at the candles that he had put aside, and then looked at the straw paper that was full of writing, and put the paper away, it should be finished tomorrow , let’s not light the lights.

After hastily eating something, Ming Xu lay down on the bed with his clothes on, and quickly fell asleep.

As he fell asleep, he didn't know that the dear friend on the opposite side saw him eating and going to sleep by the candlelight, then shook his head, and sighed silently: "Sure enough, it's just that the rich and noble son is going to play, seeing that his hair hasn't even grown yet, he also came to answer You don't know the heights of the sky and the depths of the earth in the rural examination."

Although it is stated that the papers will be closed at noon tomorrow, it is better to finish the lighting today. If it is not enough tomorrow, I will cry.Besides, he is also a big-hearted person, how can he sleep even if he has not finished answering the questions?

Ming Xu, who was awakened several times due to the change of place, turned over and sat up in the morning, took a half bucket of water placed on the window to wash, wandered around the room twice, and then sat down at the desk after regaining his energy. Yesterday's papers were copied carefully.

Another hour passed like this, Mingxu finished writing carefully, double-checked to make sure there was nothing missing, carefully dried the paper, folded it and put it at the window, and someone will come to collect it at that time.

Unknowingly, the township examination had been going on for a day and a half, and Ming Xu's mood became very calm. After packing up the test papers, he sat at the desk with his eyes closed and rested, letting his thoughts fly.

The environment of the examination room made people sensitive and startled. After sitting for a while, Ming Xu opened his eyes and looked straight ahead. There was still no movement in the examination room opposite him. When he just put down his pen, he realized that the fellow examiner opposite It seems that he hasn't woken up yet, thinking that Xu slept late yesterday, Ming Xu didn't take it to heart.

But now, Ming Xu looked at the simple sundial he made yesterday with the light from the window, it was getting late.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard a loud noise from the opposite side, and then he saw a big face suddenly appearing from the window directly opposite, with obvious panic and eagerness, seeing Mingxu was looking at him, he opened his mouth to ask, Mingxu hastily Make a gesture of silence to stop.Only then did the middle-aged man realize where he was, and he dared not make any further movements.

Mingxu knew what he was worried about, and pointed to the answer sheet on the window to reassure him.The middle-aged scholar came to understand, let out a long breath, gestured to Mingxu, got up and took out the paper, and checked it again with his hands on his chest. Fortunately, he had already finished the answer, so there was no need to hurry.

But it was also because I boiled up two candles last night, and I only slept today, but fortunately, it didn't lead to bitter fruit.

It was noon in a while, and the petty officials took the papers from the window, and Mingxu also took the opportunity to calibrate his sundial. The first content posting was over, and the next one would be released on the third day. Question paper.

A few days passed like this, and after finishing the exams on classics, moyi, and essays, Mingxu gradually felt unwell, lacked energy, limbs were weak, and his legs showed signs of edema. Fortunately, he was not sick, otherwise it would be called luck bad.

On the eighth day, the questions for the last subject were distributed, and Mingxu felt that this was the highlight, so he quickly cheered up to review the questions.

"The great classics of personnel affairs, the foundation of political affairs. Without moral administration, you can't think far away..."

Is this to talk about "government with virtue"?After Ming Xu read this, he habitually speculated on the thoughts of the person who thought about the proposition.Does this mean that if you pass the provincial examination, you will be a candidate, and you will enter the officialdom half-step, so you have to test Confucian morality and government thought?But this is too simple.

Continue to look down, and sure enough: "There are those who are bold, you should not be blamed for cleverness, and those who are wise, you should not be allowed to make great achievements..."

This sentence comes from "Huainanzi". Mingxu has read this book, which advocates that people make the best use of their talents and things make the best use of their strengths.Quite a bit of talent is everything.

So is this a dialectic about the importance of virtue and talent?Ming Xu contemplates that according to contemporary mainstream Confucianism, the Confucian scriptures insist that "government should be governed by morality, and morality should govern punishment." The selection of officials before the Sui and Tang Dynasties also focused on virtue and behavior, so writing according to this line of thought should not be a problem.

But Ming Xu's first reaction when he saw this topic was "talent".A talented husband is very important in the world. If you turn your back on it, you will be a cheap husband.

From the beginning, he paid more attention to personal ability. People without talent and ability can only talk on paper. They don't want to have super-talent, just do their job well.

No matter how good one's own virtue is, it is of no benefit to the country or the people.As for those with high talents who do not cultivate their personal morality, corrupt the atmosphere, and behave improperly, it is naturally under the criminal law.

It's just that it's too risky to answer the question like this.It violates the current concept of using punishment to supplement morality, so punishment and morality complement each other.Today is not a society ruled by law. If Ming Xu advocates ruling the country by law and elevating legalism, I'm afraid it won't be good for him to be deviant.

But if he was really asked to write in an infallible way of thinking, Mingxu couldn't continue writing, and finally he still looked down on the Confucianism that had been castrated by Cheng Zhu Neo Confucianism, which was too narrow.After all, the Tao in his heart needs to be ruled by practicing the law.

The sundial gradually moved, and Ming Xu thought about it, and wrote the inscription sentence "Scholars have an indomitable sincerity, and only then can they have endless changes. To establish a career and make meritorious deeds, everything must be based on the ground. If you admire If you hear the voice and hear it, it will become a false fruit; when you preach the Tao and cultivate virtue, you want to build a foundation from the empty place, if you count the effect, you will fall into the dust."

……

After leaving the examination room, he came to the courtyard of the Tribute Court and waited for release. Mingxu took a deep breath, feeling light all over his body, and broke through an invisible barrier.

Searching everywhere for traces of Qing Rong, but there were so many people, the place was in a mess, sometimes mixed with bitter howls and laughter, Ming Xu didn't find the target, and finally went out, the place where the two of them were standing before Qing Rong entered was still the same place. Dressed in Tsing Yi, with the scenery of Jiyue, she doesn't look like she has lived in a dwelling for nine days.

"Where's Hua Zhang?" Ming Xu stepped forward and walked side by side with Qing Rong.

"His family came to pick him up, so he took a step ahead." Qing Rong looked at Ming Xu calmly, and confirmed that there was nothing wrong.

Noticing Qing Rong's movements, Ming Xu frowned: "Is he alright?"

"It's all right."

Ming Xu let out a sigh of relief, as long as he was fine, he looked at the candidates who could not stand up after leaving the examination hall, and then saw that there were still others being framed out behind him, the final exam was indeed about psychological quality and physical quality.

The two silently walked forward with the flow of people. They had just passed a big exam and were exhausted physically and mentally, without the strength to speak.

The flow of people gradually dispersed, and Ming Xu heard Chang An's voice: "Master, Young Master Qing, here, here." Chang An was standing beside the carriage, waving to the two of them a little excitedly, and standing beside him was a burly man who was also a familiar man. Face, Qingrong's handlebar style.

"I was waiting for the uncle here, and I happened to run into Big Brother Peng, and it turned out that the uncle and Mr. Ming were really together." Chang An explained in this way.

Ming Xu ignored him, and got into the car with the hand that lifted the curtain, sat down and turned around to say goodbye to Qing Rong, but saw Qing Rong also got into his car, met the suspicious eyes of Mr. Peng behind him, Ming Xu looked at Qingrong.

Qing Rong received a few pairs of puzzled looks, and said with a smile: "Simply go out of the city on the same journey, I have something to say to brother Ming."

Ming Xu silently waved his hand to signal Chang An to drive, and the man Peng Xing automatically followed the Ming family's carriage in front.

The author has something to say:

As a note, the sentence that Brother Xu broke the title comes from Cai Gentan.