The rise of the poor

Chapter 270
Zhu Ping'an returned to the inn and began to study in retreat. Other candidates usually participate in some poetry clubs, poetry clubs, gatherings, etc. to become famous. Zhu Ping'an did not participate in this. .
Except for the occasional visit by Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen together, Zhu Ping'an has always been studying in seclusion in the hotel room.

Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen took Zhu Ping'an on a tour of the capital on several visits, focusing on the Gongyuan in the southwest of the capital, and then took Zhu Ping'an on a tour of Biguan Hutong and Liyu Hutong.Pen Tube Hutong, as you can tell from its name, there are many people selling pen, ink, paper and inkstone in this alley.Liyu Hutong can almost be concluded from its name. Liyu Hutong is the hutong where candidates live.

The carp leaping over the dragon gate, what a good sign, there are many people who come to stay with this name.

In fact, at the beginning, Liyu Hutong was not called Liyu Hutong. Its original name was Old Man Hutong, and there were many elderly people.How did it change its name? It started with a test.It is said that there will be a year when the exam is about to start. Juren all over the country will open the capital one after another to prepare for the exam. Juren outside the capital do not have a house in the capital, so they need to find a place to stay. Those who come early will find a place to stay. .It was said that there was a poor man whose home was far away and he could not afford a horse, so he walked to the capital to participate in the test.Walking is definitely not as fast as other people's horses and donkeys. When he arrived in the capital, he found that the inns near the examination room were full of people, and even the firewood room was filled with people.The poor man had no choice but to go to a far place to stay, and then he came to this old man's alley.

There was an old man in the old man's alley who saw that he was pitiful, so he took in the poor man and let him live in his own home.The day before the exam, a violent storm suddenly began to fall. Coincidentally, a live carp fell from the dark clouds in the violent storm. The carp just landed in front of the poor scholar's window, and then a flash of lightning came down. The carp flew up from the ground in a swish again, and flew directly to the direction of the exam hall.

The carp leaps to the dragon gate!The old man who took in the poor scholar was stunned, murmured again and again, and then told the scholar that you would pass the exam this time.

Sure enough, the old man was right, and when the rankings were released, the scholar really won the top spot in the high school rankings.In order to thank the old man for his kindness and the prophecy of the old man, this poor scholar was the first to go to the old man's house to express his gratitude after high school.As a result, Liyu Hutong became famous for a while. Every year, many scholars scrambled to live in Liyu Hutong.

Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen lived in Liyu Hutong.The two rented a single-family house, which of course cost a lot, and each also brought two maids and a book boy to serve.

As the exam date approached, Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen came less and less frequently.In particular, inspired by Zhu Ping's retreat and reading, the two slowly pushed aside the poetry meeting and concentrated on the preparation and review before the examination.

Zhu Ping'an seems to have returned to the old college entrance examination era, staying at home.Study hard, three meals a day are delivered by the shop assistant.This was requested by the shop assistant. The three meals a day were served very carefully, on time and according to the order. The combination of meat and vegetables was excellent.

On this day, Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen came together again.Xiang invited Zhu Ping'an to go to the yamen to register his identity.Zhu Pingan's retreat and study life had to end after only half a month, because the exam was about to begin.Zhu Ping'an made a mistake in estimating the time of the meeting. The meeting in the Ming Dynasty was held in February, and March was the time for the examination after the change in the Qing Dynasty.

The general examination is presided over by the Ministry of Rites. It is similar to the process of the rural examination. First, register your identity, which is equivalent to registering for the modern examination, and then take the examination.After all, the exam is to gather people from all over the country to take the exam, so don't go to register.People don't know how many people participated.

"Have you heard? Enke is said to be recording 400 people this time, nearly a hundred more than in previous years."

On the way to registration.Zhang Siwei suddenly said to Zhu Ping'an and Wang Shizhen with a mysterious and excited expression.

"Ziwei, the news is really well-informed." Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but admire when he heard the words.

Zhang Siwei's family is a family of salt merchants, wealthy merchants in Puzhou, and his uncle is Wang Chonggu.The 20-year Jinshi in Jiajing is also a fierce man.He should be a magistrate in a certain place now.Sure enough, there are people in the court who are good at being officials, and they can even inquire about the number of admissions in this kind of general examination.

In previous years, more than 300 people were admitted in the general examination. If the admission of this year's general examination is really 400 people, then I have a little more confidence.

For this news, Zhu Ping'an is quite happy to hear it.

"Well, yes, I've heard of it too. This change is a blessing for you and me. You and I are on the same list, isn't it very pleasing."

Wang Shizhen had already heard about this news, but when she heard it again, she was still very excited.Especially when I thought that if I passed the exam with Zhang Siwei and Zhu Ping'an, I would feel even more excited.Wouldn't it be nice to have similar interests, get to know each other before the exam, and win the list together.

"Wensheng's exam, I'm relieved, Taicang Wang's family is the best in the world, and Wensheng is the leader of Wang's. In this exam, he will definitely pass in one fell swoop; Zihou's exam problem is not big, Zi Although Hou is young, he is very quick-witted, which is rare in the world. Besides, it is customary in my dynasty that the exams will be divided into North and South, South Six, North and Four. This time there are many places, and Zi Hou is on the South list. There are gains."

Zhang Siwei pointed to Wang Shizhen, then looked at Zhu Ping'an, and had high hopes for the two of them in this meeting.

But speaking of this, Zhang Siwei changed his voice, pointed to himself again, and said with a wry smile, "I'm afraid I'm going to pull you back."

"Ziwei is laughing again, other people don't know, how can I and Zihou not know. Ziwei, you are excellent in writing and calligraphy, and you are well-known in ancient times and modern times. , but Bagu has been inferior to you for a long time. Zihou, don't believe his nonsense, Ziwei is a romantic and unrestrained person who loves jokes."

Wang Shizhen shook his head, pointed at Zhang Siwei, and smiled at Zhu Ping'an.

"Wen Sheng, don't come to comfort me." Zhang Siwei said with a wry smile.

"I said, the two of you will be on the high school ranking list this time, believe me or not?" Zhu Ping'an looked at the two and said with the corners of his lips hooked.

"Zihou, you are also joking."

"That's right, don't look at Zi Hou's simple and honest face, and he is young, but in my opinion, Zi Hou is better than Zi Wei in terms of machine changes."

"That's because people lost their vigilance because of the simple and honest face of the quilt. They really hate my parents for giving me such a handsome face, hehe."

When Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen heard the words, they turned around and laughed at Zhu Ping'an.

"Twelve taels of silver, I bet you two will be on the list." Zhu Ping'an curled his lips and smiled confidently.

"Where did you get your confidence?" Wang Shizhen looked at Zhu Ping'an and asked.

"It's not self-confidence, it's trusting you." Zhu Ping'an smiled lightly.

"Okay, let's just say what Chong Zihou said. If I'm in the middle, I'll give you one hundred taels. However, if I fall off the list, you will definitely be poor." Zhang Siwei said with a smile.

"Second." Wang Shizhen followed suit.

Both of them are from famous families, so this kind of money really doesn't matter.

"That's a good relationship." Zhu Ping'an followed with a smile, joking, but brother knows history, the two of you are on the list this time.

"Zihou, why don't you just talk about us?" Wang Shizhen asked.

"If you don't say it, Zihou is stable." Zhang Siwei replied with a smile for Zhu Ping'an.

The three of them went to the registration while talking and laughing all the way. After registration, they went back to their own, ready to try.

(End of this chapter)