Be a master through ancient times

"Boy Chu Ci, pay homage to Master Mu."

Chu Ci bowed to salute, his movements were smooth and elegant, and his posture was flawless.

"Excuse me, sit down." Master Mu looked at Chu Ci, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. He originally thought that Xu Zheng's apprentice had the same temperament as him.I didn't expect it to look mild.

"Thank you, my lord." Chu Ci sat down next to him, and he only took two-thirds of the seat, so he didn't dare to fill it up.

"I saw that Brother Xu Nian said in a letter that you are Xijiang Province Xie Yuanlang? You have achieved such an achievement at such a young age. It is really amazing." Mu Yuanxiu smiled slightly, and his words were full of admiration.

Chu Ci got up and bowed again: "Thank you for your praise, I am ashamed of receiving it. This time I was lucky enough to win the prize, and I dare not be proud of it."

"Okay, not only is he outstandingly talented, but he is also open-minded. Brother Xu, this apprentice is confiscated." Master Mu stroked his beard and said with a smile. "Your husband said that your Chunqiu governance is fair. I know he never praises others easily. This fairness must mean a good thing. I was also a Chunqiu scholar back then. How about taking a few questions for you now?"

"My lord, just ask questions."

"Okay, people's livelihood depends on hard work, but hard work is not enough?"

"This sentence says that if the common people want to obtain a rich and happy life, they must work hard. Only labor can create a steady stream of wealth. This sentence is to persuade the imperial court to focus on farming, and the poverty of the people will lead to evil. , Only when the common people live and work in peace and contentment can the country enjoy longevity and peace.”

"Okay, well said! It's a pity that you are already a high-ranking disciple of Brother Xu, otherwise the old man would also like to accept you as a disciple."

Chu Ci knew that he was speaking politely, but Mr. Mu's speech was really pleasant, no wonder he was promoted so quickly.

Mu Yuanxiu asked a few more questions, and Chu Ci answered them fluently.Mu Yuanxiu was just being polite at first, but now he sincerely feels that Chu Ci really has two talents.

He wrote the guarantee, handed it to Chuci, and said with a smile: "Haha, in the future, you will be the number one scholar in high school, don't forget my merit in recommending it!"

"Your Excellency speaks well, if you can win the first prize, Wansheng will not dare to forget the kindness of your recommendation." Chu Ci also said with a smile.

"It's getting late, why don't you stay for a light meal?" Mu Yuanxiu said.

"My lord is staying for dinner. I shouldn't say goodbye. There is really no place to stay. I have to find a place to live with the book boy. I can only thank you for your kindness." Chu Ci is not so cheeky. Mr. Xu's friendship is all maintained by Mr. Xu's greetings. If he stays for dinner rashly, it will only make people look down on him.

Sure enough, Master Mu didn't invite again, and only said: "In that case, then you should go early, so as not to be delayed too late. Next time you come to the door, you can't refuse anymore."

"Yes, Xiaosheng said goodbye."

Chu Ci walked out with the servants, and returned to the porter just now.The room was full of sweet fragrance, Zhang Hu was sitting at the table, stuffing snacks one by one into his mouth, there were already three plates in his hand at this moment.

It's real!Chu Ci only took two sips of tea inside, let alone eating, this guy actually ate three or four plates here!

The people in the Mu Mansion all stared at Zhang Hu as if they were watching a show, they had never seen such a delicious food!

……

Because Zhang Hu was already full at Mu's house, Chu Ci didn't go to the restaurant, but sat at a roadside stall and ordered a bowl of wontons.

The wontons are all white, and they are displayed on the chopping board like small ingots.The boss took a strainer and put a dozen or so into the boiling water pot, then covered the lid, and began to put lard, salt, soy sauce and other seasonings into the bowl.

After the wontons were cooked, he lifted the strainer, the skin was thin and the stuffing was big, and the crystal clear wontons fell into the bowl, and he added a spoonful of hot soup. The taste was really delicious!

Chu Ci scooped one up with a spoon and put it in his mouth. It was delicious and delicious, making people want to stop.Every time he took a bite, there was a loud sucking sound next to him.

"Boss, have another bowl."

"Master, I'm not hungry." Zhang Hu said awkwardly.

"Eat if you're not hungry!"

"Thank you, master, you are so kind!" Zhang Hu laughed, with a naive look, very similar to the little black bear Chu Ci saw in the zoo before.

After eating a bowl of warm wontons, the two found a carriage and went to Wenxingfang, where they rented a single-family house with three bedrooms and a kitchen at a price of seven taels a month through Yaren.

The advantage of being expensive is that the yard does not need to be cleaned, and everything inside is available, and they can just move in with their bags.

After signing the contract, Chu Ci took the freshly released rental certificate, got into the carriage and returned to the Xijiang Guild Hall.

Chu Ci entered the house, packed up the package and wanted to leave.Unexpectedly, Zhang Hu quickly rolled up the quilts on the two beds, tied them with ropes, and carried them on his shoulders.

"Wait, Dumb, what are you doing? Isn't there a place where we live? It's all new, I've seen it."

"Master, these quilts cost a lot of money, and they were discarded after only one night. What a pity?" When his elder sister got married, she cried because she couldn't accompany her family with two new quilts as her dowry!

"That's right, that's all, you can take it with you if you want. I don't like to cover the quilt with others."

When Chu Ci went out, he felt a vague gaze.He walked out calmly, why can't he bring back the things he spent money on?After traveling for a year or two, he also gradually developed the good habit of being thrifty as a farmer, and he was no longer as extravagant as before.

After sleeping in the rented house for the night, Chu Ci made up for all the sleep he had yesterday.The environment here is quiet and quiet, and the people who come and go are all learned people. It is probably an ancient version of a high-end community.

After settling down, Chu Ci wrote a letter back.A lot of things were written in the letter, and it was packed in a thick envelope, and the post station asked them to add ten cents before sending it out.

After sending the letter, Chu Ci went to the Ministry of Officials to register the information together with the letter of guarantee and the paperwork for the candidate. One month before the examination, he would come over to get the stamped paperwork, and then take it to take the scientific examination. Only then can you take the test.

The meaning of this subject test is similar to that of the annual test. They are both to check whether the students have read the books seriously.Like some Juren, who haven't encountered a book for several years, they came here to participate in the examination in order to get the title of a student of the emperor.In order to reduce the burden on the examiners to grade papers, the scientific examination will first remove a group of people who join in the fun.

In the days that followed, Chu Ci stayed at home behind closed doors to study and write articles.The capital is too far away from his hometown, and the gentlemen are beyond their reach to supervise him. He can only restrain himself and not be fooled by the colorful world of the capital.

Zhang Hu originally wanted to study with him, but Chu Ci let him go to play with the book boys he knew well. After playing, he could tell him what he saw and heard.

"Master, I went to Xiliang Bridge with them to play today. There are sugar sellers, bowl cakes..." At the dinner table, Zhang Hu tried his best to tell Chu Ci what he saw today. The routine always starts with eating.

After talking about what he had seen and heard all day, Zhang Hu breathed a sigh of relief, apparently exhausted.Chu Ci laughed, well, letting him go out to play has become a task!

"Master!" Zhang Hu called out suddenly, then got up in a hurry, and took out a crumpled invitation letter from his clothes.

Opening the Cici of Chu, it reads: Brother Chu, I have decided to set up a "Plum Blossom Club" in Meilin in the north of the city on the first day of December.

The invitation letter was signed by Rossi, who Chu Ci didn't know very well, so he asked Zhang Hu who this person was.Zhang Hu frowned and thought for a long time before he said, "He is the young master of the Awen family."

Awen?Chu Ci remembered what Zhang Hu had been talking about for the past few days, and remembered that Ah Wen should be from East Shandong Province, so this Rossi should be a student from East Shandong Province.

"Is he the one who wrote you the letter?"

"No, it was given to us by Awen. He said that if you want to go, master, you will have to pay one tael of silver to join the society. Master, do you want to go?"

"Go, it's the first time someone invites you, it's not good if you don't go. You find out my fox fur, and I will wear that to go in the future."

In the past two days, the north wind has been blowing in the capital, whistling all day long. When people go out, their hairstyles and clothes are all messed up.

As expected by Chu Ci, on the first day of December, the wind was still blowing outside, but it was not as strong as the previous two days.The sky was overcast, as if something was pressing on it, Chu Ci felt that it should be snowing these two days.

Zhang Hu went out and called for a carriage, and the two sat on their way to Meilin. After getting out of the carriage, Chu Ci took out a wooden token that was exchanged for one tael of silver, and handed him to the servant guarding the gate of the garden.

"Sir, please come in."

Chu Ci nodded slightly, then walked inside.From the gate of the garden, there is a long corridor with many patterns engraved on it, which looks very exquisite.

There is a moon door at the end of the corridor, and if you walk a little further in, you can smell an elegant fragrance.

It really is: Mei Xu is three points less white than Xue, but Xue is less fragrant than Mei.

This garden is huge, there are about hundreds of plum trees in different shapes, dotted with plum blossoms of various colors, red and white intertwined, it has a more flavor than a monochromatic garden.

He paused for a moment at the door, then walked in.He wears a snow-white jade crown on his head and a red fox fur. His face is like a crown jade, and his eyes are like stars. When he walks, his steps are slow, like a stroll in a garden.That noble and elegant appearance made many students feel a little bit ashamed.

"May I ask this brother Gao's name? I'm a student from Qionghai Province, my surname is Zhao Mingrui, and I'm named Zhonglian." A student couldn't help but come forward to make friends.

"Brother Zhao, I am Chuci, a student from Xijiang Province, and my name is Huaijin."

"Brother Chu is as famous as he is, but he is actually a gentleman. Huai Jin holds Yu."

"Brother Zhao praised you absurdly. My hibiscus is a hibiscus, but it is actually a lump of elm wood, which cannot bear the reputation of Jinyu." Chu Ci smiled and humbled himself.

"Oh, it turns out that other people have beautiful jade in their hearts, and your Excellency has grass in their hearts. Isn't this just...haha." A few people came out from behind Zhao Rui. The jade crown is still very different.

When Chu Ci first came in, there was the person who pushed Shu Yuguan, and pouted his mouth to signal him to look over.Under the same attire, the man was slightly inferior in both appearance and demeanor.He was not happy in his heart, so after hearing Chu Ci's self-effacement, he deliberately misinterpreted his words.

The others understood what he meant, and laughed too, but the smiles were more reserved and without malice, unlike this person who laughed like an old hen that just laid eggs.

Chu Ci also understood, this is turning a corner and calling him an idiot!He is only self-effacing, but he can attract ridicule. He is really stupid every year, especially this year!

Although Chu Ci insulted him passionately in his heart, he didn't show it on his face, and asked with a smile: "Dare to ask this brother Gao's name?"

"I'm Xie Xiangfei from Beiding Prefecture, and I'm named Shenghui." The man said loudly, obviously very proud.

Chu Ci felt disgusted, Xiang?Still flying?Fortunately, he was not born in modern times, otherwise, how could he have the nerve to go out with this name when the character Xiang has been corrupted?

But he's not good at working on Xiang characters, he's cheap, what's wrong with other people named Xiang?

"Oh, you are fat! You have a plump body, which matches the word very well." Chu Ci nodded seriously.

"What are you talking about?! My word rises back! Takes the meaning of rising with wings together, and flying feathers turning around." Hearing his strange accent, the man couldn't help being furious.

"Oh, it turns out that it means rising with wings together, and Xiangyu Fei turned into fat! I thought it meant a plump body."

"Did you mean it that way?"

"I'm wronged, did I read it wrong? I live close to Fujian, and everyone reads it that way. Are there any students from Southern Fujian here?" Chu Ci asked in a high voice.

"I'm a student from Southern Fujian, what do you want me to do?" The student was enjoying the scenery on the other side, but he didn't know what happened here.

"Please read it, rise with wings together, the word "shengfei" in Xiangyu Feizhuan."

"What nonsense are you talking about, it's Shenghui!" Xie Xiangfei said angrily, if he said it like this, others would definitely read it wrong!

"What about fattening and not fattening? Don't you both read the same? Could it be that I can't even understand this?" The student felt that they were making fun of him, and was immediately upset. He reprimanded and turned around. then go.

Xie Xiangfei was desperate, and suddenly remembered that the person who pronounced his name for the first time was Xie Xianghui.Could it be a local custom?What a broken (pe) place!

After a small episode, the leader of the association this time saw that people were almost here, so he took out a wooden box and put a lot of notes in it.

"There are a lot of requirements on it. If you get a note, you will do what it says. If you fail to meet the requirements within an hour, you will be punished. The content of the punishment! A big decision that can be made. Don’t worry, everyone, the above requirements are absolutely within the reach of everyone, and it’s only limited by the length of time.”

Everyone said it was interesting, and everyone was determined to win the first place.When everyone had drawn nearly enough, Chu Ci stepped forward and took out a note.

It reads: "Please go to the right and dig out the kit from under a tree with a red thread hanging in the plum grove."

Yo, it's still a scavenger hunt.Chu Ci instantly became interested.