Chapter 95 – Five Famous Scholars of the Capital

Zhang Anshi then said “I can help, I want to share my brother-in-law’s worries, my brother-in-law treats me the best on a regular basis, I’ll put my life on the line for him.”

Zhang smiled, “It’s good that you have this heart.”

Zhu Zhanji said on the side, “Mother consort, mother consort, I also desperately want to solve the problems for my parents, I am sincere.”

Zhang stroked Zhu Zhanji’s head with a look of approval.

Zhang Anshi, however, kept his head down and didn’t say anything.

Actually, Fang did brag.

But now, a thought popped up.

Is there a possibility, that is to say …… a real solution to the troubles of my brother-in-law.

His mind electrified and began to run wild.

It is now the second year of the Yongle era, and during the early Ming period, the system of imperial examinations was actually not perfect.

Although after Ming Taizu opened the imperial examinations, there were clear requirements for the system and the style of writing. Scholars participating in the imperial examinations must pass three exams. However, the writing style is either even or scattered, and there is no definite rule at the beginning.

Therefore, in fact, everyone is blind.

The period when the real imperial examinations began to develop a strict literary style must have been in the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign.

It’s only been through two koans, and now it’s the third.

Jiangxi’s readers, or rather, the entire south of the readers can form a huge advantage, on the one hand, is certainly the north of the many scourges of war, and the south of the relative stability, so the south of the flourishing literary style, the north has a great advantage.

And on the other hand …… now this era, for the imperial examinations, like some like the latter days just restored the period of the college entrance examination.

People don’t know what the test is, so the questions on the paper aren’t that hard, and the people who get it …… just have to be better than everyone else.

This koan, it hasn’t even started the real roll yet.

Really rolled up, to the middle of the Ming Dynasty, or even the end of the Ming Dynasty, that time the examination paper is perverted beyond compare, and countless candidates, in order to be able to test, has long been the set of the imperial examinations to feel very familiar with, from how to make articles, how to practise the format of the eight shares, and then how to memorize the four books and five classics, and specialize in coping with the examination of some of the teachers, daily nothing to do, blindly pondered the examiner’s preferences.

It’s an arms race, and it’s an arms race that hasn’t even begun yet, and everyone is still fighting for substance.

Apparently a lot of people haven’t really begun to realize how crazy those readers were for the imperial examinations hundreds of years down the road.

This is just like, any candidate in the latter days who has experienced countless internal papers, done various question banks daily, and also suffered from various tutorial classes, if placed at the time of the restoration of the College Entrance Examination, what a golden light it would be.

Zhang Anshi took a deep breath, and a thought …… was born in his heart I Zhang Anshi may not know what is called eight stocks, but I fucking know the exam ah, I know how to roll ah.

What would happen if he sought out readers of northern origin to take a test with these readers who were still in a state of chaos and had not yet figured out the exam routine?

Thinking like this, Zhang Anshi was somewhat unable to calm down.

At least give it a try!

What would it be like to throw a guy who went through Hengshui High School and sent it to the restoration of high school entrance exams?

Zhang Anshi could not help but exclaim, “Hahahahaha …… I thought of it.”

He said, and ran away in a puff of smoke.

Zhang’s see Zhang Anshi this adventurous appearance, can not help but anger: “like what appearance, only praise you a few words, you are like this again …… ”

Said Zhang, shaking her head.

Zhu Zhanji sat straight on the side and said in a milky voice: “Mother consort, my son is different, my son will not take any chances, my son listens to my mother consort the most.”

…………

Zhang Anshi returned to the Guozixue in a flurry of excitement.

The arrow rushed into the Hall of Justice.

Shouting, “How’s it going, does this guy have an itchy skin.”

Gu Xingzu read more carefully.

Zhu Yong and Zhang Yoking held the ruler and paced back and forth, circling around Gu Xingzu.

Only Chuson was sound asleep on his desk with his head in his hands.

Zhang Anshi rushed to the front of the Gu Xingzu, head to face, asked: “Where is your family origin?”

As soon as Gu Xingzu saw this fierce look of Dr. Zhang Anshi, he trembled with fear and trembling, with tears in his eyes, and at this time, even his a master could not be relied on, so he could only timidly say, “Back to the words of the doctor, I …… am a Yangzhou man, and my ancestry is Xiangtan, Hunan.”

Zhang Anshi picked him up by the lapels of his coat and said, “I’m talking about the household register, the household register, where is your family’s household register yellow book?”

Gu Xingzu to cry, stuttered: “Originally in the South Zhili, then …… later …… they killed my father and mother, my master threw himself into the northern army, should … . should have moved his household to North Zhili.”

“Northern Zhili?” Zhang Anshi’s eyes lit up, “Are you sure you didn’t move your household later?”

Gu Xingzu said, “No …… no …… my master’s east to conquer the west, not this effort, and many of the ministers of pacification, the household registration is in Beiping, and I have not seen anyone to change.”

Beiping is now the place where the dragon flourished during the Yongle period, a symbol of the dragon from which it came in the first place, which is a piece of seniority, and it would be strange for anyone to want to change it.

Zhang Anshi patted Gu Xingzu’s head, and the whole person laughed excitedly, “Hahahahaha …… In that case, things are half successful, good, really great, I am very pleased, Xingzu ah, do you know that the master has always looked up to you? You will definitely be outstanding in the future.”

Gu Xingzu: “……”

Zhang Anshi went on to say: “I think about it, we read …… or too loose, men, to set up a great ambition, we must not be afraid of hardship, you Shangshu memorized?”

“Only barely able to memorize it.”

Zhang Anshi scolded: “dog thing, three days are not familiar with memorization, what is the use of having you, from today, within ten days, the four books and five classics should be recited backwards, if not, it is deceiving the teacher to destroy the ancestor, to tell you the truth, Qiu Assistant Professor would like to blow you up in the sky, it has always been me in the stop, you try to be lazy again.”

Gu Xingzu shivered up, “I …… I carry, I carry ……”

Zhang Anshi said his decision “In ten days, you will write an essay, you will take the examination for a scholar.”

Gu Xingzu: “……”

Even though his IQ was not bad, at this time he still felt that his brain capacity was limited and could not accommodate such an explosive amount of information.

Zhang Anshi’s expression at this time was very serious, with a few points of ferocity, “If you don’t win the exam, you’re dead, don’t blame me for not reminding you, I, Zhang Anshi, can do anything.”

This, Gu Xingzu believed.

Zhang Anshi slapped Gu Xingzu’s shoulder fiercely, “Now tell me, do you have confidence?”

Gu Xingzu said pitifully, “No …… no ……”

Zhang Anshi was furious and bulged his eyes, “Confident?”

Gu Xingzu’s body trembled and subconsciously said, “Yes.”

Zhang Anshi finally laughed and said, “You all heard him, he said himself that he was confident, and he also gave me a military order, if he lost the face of our four brothers by then, he would be dead.”

Gu Xingzu: “……”

Zhang Anshi rubbed his fists, “Brothers, come here, I have something to command.”

All of a sudden, a few of Zhu Yong’s emotions went to his head.

Yeah, we’re going to take the imperial exams too. No, send someone to the imperial exams.

That’s the way to get ahead.

It’s so much fun.

Big Brother is Big Brother and always has an endless supply of great ideas.

Zhang Anshi first looked at Zhu Yong: “You take the silver these days, no matter how much silver you take, go to find me Xie Jin, Jin Youzi, and our benefactor Hu Yan, and Hu Guang four examiners previously written articles, eight-legged essays are the best, don’t be afraid to spend money, in a word, we want to understand their grammar.”

Zhu Yong said, “I know, I’ll dig three feet into the ground and find it.”

“And their preferences, like whose poetry they like, which characters from history they like, what fetishes they have, and of course …… that kind of underhanded fetish, I don’t want to know.”

Zhu Yong said, “I have friends in the Jinyiwei, it’s a small matter.”

Zhang Anshi added to Zhang Yoking, “In the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, and also in the second year of Jianwen, all the articles of the jinshi of the imperial examinations, I want to find them, or in the same words, don’t be afraid to spend money.”

Zhang Yoking said, “I will definitely find it.”

Zhang Anshi said, “In the capital, there is no famous teacher who has some knowledge of the imperial examinations, search for me, at least find three or four, hire them, we pay money, as much as we want, only let them do one thing, that is, to help us read the articles. If the other party refuses to come ……”

Speaking here, Zhang Anshi paused for a moment, revealing some ruthlessness, and said, “Third brother, you know what to do, right?”

Zhang Yoking, however, drooped his head and said, “Would it be bad if such a famous teacher and scholar were killed?”

Zhang Anshi scolded: “did not teach you to beat them to death, I mean …… give me to smash the money, smashed to them to be willing to come until they themselves if they do not look at our silver, but they always have a wife and children old and young right, his own always have hobbies, right, like words and paintings, to give him the words and paintings, like women ……”

Zhang Yoking’s spirit lifted, “This I will.”

Qiu Song said, “What about me ……”

He rolled over and got up, and it turned out that Fang was faking sleep.

Zhang Anshi said, “Fourth brother is keeping an eye on Xingzu, he’s a scholar with a big heart and wants to win the gold medal, so he’s hanging from a beam and stabbing himself, that’s always reasonable, isn’t it?”

Chuson sniffled and didn’t say anything.

Only Gu Xingzu was shivering, and he vaguely sensed that an even more terrifying ordeal had just begun.

In the Daming law, the supervisor is qualified to take the examination, in a way, the supervisor is the same as the lifer.

Of course …… only to a theoretical extent, because the vast majority of the supervisors, except for those who are nominated by the local, or the supervisors of the rate of the Hall, will only go to take their chances.

At least Justice, Chongzhi, and Guangye, the three low level academy supervisors, there has never been anyone to participate in the meeting test, after all, …… no one is willing to make a fool of themselves.

You don’t know what level you’re at, do you? You won’t be able to take the test, okay!

…………

“Master, Master ……”

Gu Xingzu didn’t come home until midnight.

Gu Cheng, however, was in the hall, staying up until midnight, still waiting for his grandson.

As soon as he heard his grandson s call, Gu Cheng was instantly overjoyed, hurriedly came out, and as soon as he was about to enter the middle hall, Gu Xingzu hugged him up and said, “Child ah, you are really not easy, I did not expect you to be such a hard …… worker.”

Gu Xingzu cried again, wiping his tears and said, “Master, I don’t want to go to the National Zi Academy, I don’t want to study, they beat me again today …… oooooh ……”

When Gu Cheng heard this, he was both distressed and uncomfortable, “What’s the matter, what’s the matter, is schoolwork very tight?”

“Dr. Zhang …… Dr. Zhang taught me to take the entrance exam ……”

Gu Cheng froze when he heard it.

“A master, our family is a marquis, what is the examination of the jinshi …… I do not want to be a jinshi, I will come to inherit A master’s title ……”

Gu Xingzu whimpered and cried loudly as he was heartbroken.

Gu Cheng’s face slowly stared as he put down Gu Xingzu, who he had picked up.

And then with his back hand, pacing back and forth, he lowered his head and thought, for a long time, he fiercely brightened up, saying, “Wonderful, wonderful, really wonderful, this Zhang Anshi is really a wizard! Do we Gu family …… really care about a scholar? Hmph, there is a master in, still less this grandson of mine rich and famous?”

Said, he murmured: “This scholar to test on how difficult ah, we do not say Gu family test, even if you do not want to think, maybe …… really want to really go to the test, I am afraid that even a Xiucai are not on it. But here on the wonderful wonderful in this place, a great man in the world, when the ambition, as the art of war, to be put to death and then live, only know that can not be for the sake of, only to sharpen the human nature!”

“The imperial examination is not the real purpose, but participating in the process of the imperial examination, sharpening the heart, is the real intention, the so-called real is false, false is real, the use of its wonderful, exists in the heart, Zhang Anshi is really a motherfucker is a talent.”

“Grandpa, what the hell are you talking about.” Gu Xingzu couldn’t understand, and he cried again, wailing as he cried, “Anyway, I’m not going to enter the school, I’m going to Guizhou with Grandpa.”

Snap ……

Gu Cheng abruptly raised his hand and slapped Gu Xingzu’s face.

Gu Xingzu was dumbfounded.

Gu Cheng’s heart was aching and bleeding, he had never hit his grandson. This slap, on Gu Xingzu’s body, however, hurt more than cutting his Gu Cheng’s flesh.

Gu Cheng likewise cried, with hot tears in his eyes, saying, “Grandson ah, my own grandson ah, why don’t you know better, you can meet such a famous teacher, it’s our Gu family, and it’s also your blessing ah ……”

Gu Cheng choked and said, “If you retreat at this time, you will have no sharpness from now on, a great man in the world, when the boat against the current, how can you escape from the battlefield? If you want to go to Guizhou today, it is like being a deserter, in military law, those who escape die!”

Gu Xingzu whimpered and cried again.

Gu Cheng hugged his head, old tears: “Good, good, it is a master’s wrong, but you have to listen, you have to listen ah, our Gu family …… that is, we intend to go to the examination of the Jinshi, even if the chance of winning the examination is not in the slightest, but we have to go to the examination, and only in this way can we be able to stand up to ourselves. A great man a promise is a thousand pieces of gold, even if it is ridiculed by the people is not self-importance, but also must not retreat.”

Gu Xingzu couldn’t say anything, only crying louder.

…………

Since the handover of the East Palace affairs, Yang Shiqi has returned to the Hanlin Academy.

He went back to the humdrum days when there were no more ripples in his life.

Occasionally, he will recall Zhang Anshi, always feel that the teenager, in fact, is not that hateful, although occasionally naughty, but really hated by people can not up.

But ……… people like this will get into big trouble at least, people can not be loose.

Today, Yang Shiqi came to the Hanlin Academy early in the morning to order.

Just …… his eyelids jumped straight up.

The left eye jumps to disaster, the right eye jumps to wealth.

If there was no distinction between left and right, he felt that given his current situation, there was no chance of getting rich, but calamity was quite possible.

Yang Shiqi sighed in his heart and turned to think of that great benefactor Guo Degan.

So far he has not inquired about the whereabouts of that Mr. Guo, who has never been born, this Mr. Guo, who is wise and knowledgeable, must be an extremely remarkable person, perhaps …… the same as that black clothed prime minister Yao Guangxiao.

Every time I think about it, a wave of reverence comes over me.

Entered the dawning room, the hall official and pro to point dawning of a few editors and service lecturers are talking gossip: “Is it …… Guo De Gan is he?”

Someone exclaimed, “How is that possible?”

“Why not, I heard it from the palace ……”

Yang Shiqi heard, the heart thumped, face slightly excited, busy is to go forward to bow: “The gentlemen discussed Guo De Gan …… what happened to him?”

The hall official sipped his tea and said with a smile, “Doesn’t Squire Yang still know? There is no such thing as Guo Degan in this world, this Guo Degan, in fact, is Zhang Anshi, Zhang Anshi do you know ……”

Yancey stood frozen in place and shivered.

He couldn’t listen to a single word of what the hall official said afterward.

Just like dreaming, repeatedly reciting, “How can it be Guo De Gan, how can it be ……”

“Servant Yang, Servant Yang ……”

Yancey came back from his trance.

The crowd looked at him with concerned eyes.

No way, how is this possible ……

These days, Yang Shiqi are in the Hanlin Academy of literature and history to organize the actual records, not very concerned about the outside world.

But now …… he was like a big stone was thrown into his heart, and the lake of his heart was stirred up by a thousand waves.

“Servant Yang ……”

As he drifted off, he heard someone calling him.

It was only then that Yancey winced and looked blankly at his fellow officers.

The next moment, a thought arose violently in his mind, and he lifted his leg, and, as if his heart was in a hurry, seized the door and went out.

The hall official in the back called: “Yang minister, you did not point the dawn, you did not point the dawn, do not point the dawn, but to deduct salary, Yang minister …… hello …… what is this, good reason to have lost heart crazy ……”

Yang Shiqi rushed out of the Hanlin Academy and ran to the Zhang family first in a hurry.

But I learned that Zhang Anshi actually went to the National Academy.

The state school?

Yang Shiqi could not care about this much, and again panting all the way to the National Zi School.

When he arrived at the Hall of Justice of the State Zi Academy after being directed by someone, he heard Zhang Anshi’s roaring voice: “Enter your mother, have you learned …… by heart or not?”

Yang Shiqi stood at the entrance of the Hall of Justice and looked openly at Zhang Anshi who was showing his teeth to a supervisor of the National Zi Academy.

Yang Shiqi looked at this strange fellow, how could he not connect Zhang Anshi with that worldly superior Guo Degan.

“Ya.” Zhang Anshi did notice Yang Shiqi’s presence and said in surprise, “Why is Minister Yang also here?”

Yang Shiqi took a deep breath and tried hard to restrain himself, “Duke Zhang …… what are you ……”

Zhang Anshi said bluntly, “It is not because I am talented, my mentor Hu Yan, you know, he learned that I am so learned, so he recommended me, and His Majesty enlisted me as a doctor of the State Zi Academy, and you see, I am teaching.”

Just him?

Yancey: “……”

Zhang Anshi said, “Mr. Yang, why don’t you say anything?”

Yancey: “……”

Although he hadn’t seen him for many days, Zhang Anshi did see that Yang Shiqi was different from usual and said, “You are very strange today.”

Finally, Yancey came to terms with the hard truth.

He let out a breath, and then took a step back and straightened his clothes, before extending his hand, arching both hands up, owing his body, and respectfully making a long bow, “Your Excellency is above, please accept a bow from Yang.”

Zhang Anshi by now already knew that his identity had been discovered by Yang Shiqi, he was quite spontaneous and said, “Eh, no need to be courteous, it’s nothing, I have long admired Servant Lecturer Yang’s talent, and I only said some good things that day, Servant Lecturer Yang has overstated his case.”

Yang Shiqi, however, stubbornly performed a big salute before gratefully saying, “I’m ashamed to say that Yang Mou has no eyes.”

“Where, it’s all our own ……”

The more Zhang Anshi acted like he didn’t care, the more Yang Shiqi cared, and he was so anxious that the veins on his forehead were about to burst out: “If Yang Mou has received such a great favor from Mr. Zhang, I can’t repay him even if I were to work like an ox or a horse.”

Zhang Anshi, however, said, “Let’s not talk about that, let’s talk about serious matters, my brother-in-law wants to preside over the imperial examinations, what do you think?”

Finally succeeded in changing the subject, Yang Shiqi is a very far-sighted person, how could he not know the mystery of this?

He frowned: “The matter of the imperial examinations, not to say that this is a big matter, and the contradictions in this, are too numerous to mention, a slight difference, I’m afraid that even His Highness the Crown Prince, may not be able to withstand the pressure.”

“You only see the bad side, but not the good side.” Zhang Anshi said, “What if I say that my brother-in-law has things accomplished? His Majesty is clearly testing my brother-in-law’s skills, and as long as it can be accomplished, then in His Majesty’s mind, my brother-in-law is the best heir. And once it’s done, and the world’s readers are satisfied with it, then my brother-in-law will be considered the one who deserves it.”

The situation in the Ming Dynasty was different from other dynasties, especially the Yongle Dynasty. Throughout the dynasties, many emperors were afraid that their sons would be too strong, thus triggering suspicion between the emperor and the crown prince.

But in the Yongle Dynasty, Zhu Di’s concern is that his eldest son’s character is weak, will become the second Jianwen Emperor, can not control the feudal lords and ministers, not to mention, but also be fooled by the readers.

Zhu Di likes the king of Han, not without reason, the king of Han in the army is very high prestige, and the character is also rigid, the world to such a hand, in order to harness the world s subjects, at least …… Zhu Di is like this.

Of course, the Prince’s body is obese and weak, which is also one of the reasons.

Yang Shiqi thoughtfully said, “That said, but the North and South readers of the problem, the accumulated evils for a long time, each other contradictions, even the Great Ancestor Gao Emperor can not be properly dealt with, had no choice but to directly change the constitution of the imperial examinations, the pain killers to solve the problem, and how can the Crown Prince solve it?”

Yang Shiqi apparently thought that the approach of Emperor Taizu Gao was very bad.

After all, the imperial examinations were set by Emperor Taizu Gaozu, and the rules were also set by the court. You set the rules, but when the results came out, you did not recognize them, and if you did not recognize them, it was just a matter of getting the examiners killed, and then turning around and re-circling a new scholar by yourself.

Such a practice, although it solved the problem for a while, it also made the world question the fairness of the imperial examinations.

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, “Taizu High Emperor can’t solve it, it doesn’t mean that my brother-in-law can’t solve it, it’s not that I, Zhang Anshi, am bragging, my brother-in-law has the phase of great nobility, is the world’s first-class virtuous prince, of course, the main thing is that there is still such a left-handed person as me, I’ve already thought of a foolproof method now.”

Yancey: “……”

After all, Yang Shiqi is a scholar, the book of sages, has always taught people to be modest, he could not see a person go anywhere, there are cows floating in the sky.

But …… after all, he is his own benefactor, and Yang Shiqi only keeps smiling.

But he heard Zhang Anshi say, “But in this matter, I happen to be short of one person to assist, Squire Yang, why don’t you come and help me.”

“Ah ……”

“You won’t?”

“If Enkong doesn’t give up, Mister Yang is willing to do the work of a dog and horse.”

“Sure is a good brother.”

“……”

“Come come ……” Zhang Anshi pointed his finger at Gu Xingzu, whose face was spent in tears, “Squire Yang came to help me see how this son’s roots and bones are, and whether there is any sign of a scholar.”

Yang Shiqi looked at Gu Xingzu with a rubbed face in surprise: “Ah …… this ……”

Yang Shiqi pulled Zhang Anshi to one side and whispered, “Enkong …… can’t make it ah, this son, in my view ……”

Zhang Anshi, however, interrupted him and said, “Have you read what he has written, just take a look.”

Saying so, Zhang Anshi took a copy of the article and gave it to him.

Yang Shiqi had no choice but to look down to see, smiled bitterly: “Such grammar, really …… hey …… only afraid of winning a Xiu Cai are barely.”

That’s the truth.

Zhang Anshi, on the other hand, smiled, “This imperial examination, isn’t there still many days left? Now he is a Xiucai, in the future he will be a jinshi, his bones are light and strange, he is smart and wise, I think he will be able to have great achievements.”

Yancey remained silent.

Zhang Anshi then added, “I asked Minister Yang to do only one favor, and that is to help me look at his essay, I don’t know the eight stocks, and precisely because I couldn’t pass the exam, I had to put my hopes on Gu Xingzu, who is the hope of the four great Confucian scholars in our capital!”

Yang Shiqi was surprised and said, “The four famous scholars in the capital?”

Zhang Anshi pointed at himself, “Naturally, it’s me and the three brothers.”

Yancey: “……”

Looking at Yang Shiqi’s expression, Zhang Anshi became anxious: “You don’t believe it? Let me tell you, Duke Hu Yan all said so, if it were not for our outstanding talents, how could we be enlisted here as doctors and assistant professors.”

Yang Shiqi felt that he had received too many messages today, to the point of being unable to make sense of them.

Zhang Anshi said, “I’ll just say one thing, are you willing to help or not.”

Yang Shiqi then said, “The benefactor’s request, how could Yang not be willing, just ……”

Zhang Anshi didn’t have the heart to listen to the next words and rejoiced, “In this way, our team has grown again. Haha ……”

Said Zhang Anshi added: “With the help of Squire Yang, plus our four famous Confucian scholars in the capital …… now we are the five famous Confucian scholars in the capital, and not long after our five Confucian scholars in the capital fame will come.”

Yang Shiqi said earnestly, “The student has an unkind request.”

Zhang Anshi said, “You say.”

“Can …… you not juxtapose Yang Mou with the four Confucian, En Gong is aware of Yang Mou, Yang Mou this person …… does not like to fit in.”

…………

Recommending a handsome man’s book, Salted Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty.

Also, thanks to the thirteenth ally in this book, ‘Astrojan’, for the ally reward, Tiger loves you.