After dressing as a widow

When the two came to the gate of the county government office, they found that there were more people here than expected. Some were in their 60s and 30s, and some were in their [-]s and [-]s. Gu Shuanzi's age group accounted for the majority, and everyone had different expressions on their faces. Are not the same.

When Lin Zhen saw the student in his twenties closest to them, he was so nervous that his face was stretched into a hard mask and he knocked on his head.

Suddenly, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen came with two servants and saw Gu Shuanzi waving lively: "I've been looking for you for a long time, why are you here now?"

After finishing speaking, Wang Qin saluted Lin Zhen: "Hello, Uncle Lin."

"Uncle Lin, the little cakes you made are really delicious, why don't you sell them in the shop?"

Lin Zhen was very impressed with this kid, as long as he was with Gu Shuanzi, he was like a little tail, and he always regarded himself as Gu Shuanzi's brother, and he was not angry when Gu Shuanzi sneered at him.

As for Huang Yuwen, Chen Xing, and Liang Pinxiu, he often saw them, but they were all headed by Wang Qin, so they didn't stand out very much.

Lin Zhen looked at his face, which was obviously rounder than a few months ago, and pinched the flesh on his face: "Uncle Lin has a lot to do in a day, and he is too busy."

Returning to the town from Liyu Village after the Chinese New Year, he was greedy for the cake, and specially made one big and many small ones, so that Gu Shuanzi, Lin Xiaoyao and the others could eat it full.

But making cakes is really troublesome now. The cream has to be whipped by hand, the oven has to be made by oneself, and the temperature of the charcoal fire has to be watched all the time. It takes half a day to make a cake, and the cost is higher than that of milk tea.

Of course, if he manages carefully, he can make money. However, Lin Zhen thinks that at this stage, he should proceed step by step. The business of Malatang and milk tea is already very conspicuous. Add unnecessary trouble to yourself.

When Wang Qin heard that Lin Zhen said that he didn't sell small cakes because he was too busy, he had a discouraged expression on his face. Huang Yuwen and Liang Pinxiu behind him also raised his eyebrows. It was a pity that he couldn't eat such delicious small cakes every day. Only Chen Xing, who was from a poor family, didn't say anything. Anyway, it was impossible for him to buy the small cakes when they were sold in the shop.

Suddenly, the yamen's depression held a copper gong and knocked it three times rhythmically. The students gathered at the county yamen's gate immediately fell silent, only to see the county magistrate coming out of the county yamen's gate and saying: "The rules of this year's county examination I think you all already know that from today to the end of the exam, there will be a total of three days, two exams today and tomorrow, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, each one hour long, and the last exam in the morning of the third day."

"My official has something to say beforehand. You must not have the idea of ​​cheating. Anyone who is caught cheating will be expelled from the examination room immediately and will not be allowed to participate in any imperial examinations for ten years."

"Okay, let's come in one by one according to the list."

The county examinations are supervised by the county magistrates from all over the country. If there is a major accident, they, the county magistrates, will not be able to escape.

But what can happen in these small places, the magistrate is just showing up and acting as a mascot.

After finishing speaking, the county magistrate lazily turned around and went back. The county magistrate glanced at the black crowd, unfolded the brochure and began to roll call, "Luo Sheng."

"The student is here." The student whose name was called was a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, with short hair, and looked older than his actual age. He walked over with his things and handed over to the county magistrate in a polite manner. Salute, "Students pay their respects to the master."

Although the etiquette is correct, but that look looks a bit flattering.

The county magistrate has worked here for 30 to [-] years, and he has already had an impression of the student in front of him. He has participated in the county examination every year since four years ago, but failed once, and this time he came again.He nodded and said, "Before you enter the examination room, everything on your body needs to be searched carefully. Once you find that you are carrying cheating tools, you don't need to enter the examination room. You can be dealt with here."

After finishing speaking, he signaled the yamen servant to come and search him.

The yamen officer immediately searched the student named Luo Sheng, and after confirming that there was nothing suspicious, he said to the magistrate, "Master, there is no problem."

"Alright, let's go in, Luo Sheng."

"Yes." Luo Sheng looked happy, and walked across the threshold of the county government gate with his things.

Immediately afterwards, the county magistrate began to read the names of the people below.

It was Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen's first time to experience the child birth test. Seeing such a scene, they were nervous for no reason, and kept asking: "What should I do, my father and my mother are either chickens, ducks, abalones or shark's fins every day during this period of time. , take it as a certainty that I will be admitted to Tongsheng, what if I fail the exam."

Huang Yuwen's homework was better than him, and he was a little sad, but seeing Wang Qin's appearance, he couldn't help but said: "Who told you to go back and always tell Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang how well you learned today, and what did you read the next day?" Book, let Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang think you are a child prodigy."

"When you look at Gu Lin, you never tell Uncle Lin."

Wang Qin frowned: "I'm not..."

"You just want to show off." Huang Yuwen unceremoniously exposed him.

"..." Wang Qin's heart beat like a villain in his heart. If he could, he really wanted to go back to the time when he didn't go to school, and don't let himself show that smartness. Mother wouldn't send him to Mr. Xu's school. Now that I am playing around every day, I don't have to worry so much about the fried pork with bamboo whip and the slap on the butt that will come after the exam.

Gu Shuanzi stood beside Lin Zhen and said, "With your current knowledge, although it is difficult to pass the Tongsheng exam, it's not like there is no chance."

Gu Shuanzi can now be regarded as a collection of envy and jealousy in the school. What Master Xu taught once, everyone has not read it fluently, so he can memorize it, and he can recite it twice and learn from it.Although Xu Fuzi didn't say anything, everyone knew that Gu Shuanzi would definitely pass this childbirth test. If he didn't pass it, they should not be delusional.

Wang Qin looked at him eagerly: "Really? Gu Lin, you are not lying to me, I can really live."

Huang Yuwen also looked at Gu Shuanzi: "As for me, I'm better than him, so I can live too."

Chen Xing is a well-known dog leg of Wang Qin, even if they are playing together now, the relationship with Gu Shuanzi has not eased much, but now he can't help looking at Gu Shuanzi, licking his lips and thinking What to say but restrained.

Suddenly, the county magistrate called Gu Shuanzi's name: "Gu Lin."

Holding the things in his hands, Gu Shuanzi glanced at the few people and said, "You have to believe in the books and poems you recite day and night, trust in the pens in your hands." Then he raised his head and said to Lin Zhen, "Uncle Lin, I went in."

"Well, I'll wait for you outside." In front of him, Gu Shuanzi seemed to be an over-mature child who needed him. This was the first time Lin Zhen saw him in front of his classmates. The natural majesty and the clarity of a scholar, it seems that this child has become outstanding in a place he didn't see, and he can no longer treat him like before.

In addition to Master Xu's school, there are several other schools in the town, but because of Master Xu's high reputation, everyone wants to send their children to him.But if Mr. Xu refused to accept it, he had to choose other schools.

Gu Lin has been studying there for more than half a year. Not only their school, but even people in other schools have vaguely heard his name. At this time, when the county magistrate called him, some eyes fell on him.

Some asked inexplicably, "Which family's young master is this?"

"Young master?" The person who was asked just happened to have heard something about Gu Lin, and said, "He is the stepson of the owner of the Zhazi Street Zhenyouwei Snack Restaurant, and he visited Master Xu's door last year. Friendship, when the two of them were drinking, Xu Fuzi once said that his talent is not under Zhong Yan, and he will definitely have a seat in this year's Tongsheng Examination."

"Impossible, compare him with Zhong Xiucai, he is also worthy!?" The student who asked the question is almost 30 years old, and he is still taking the entrance examination for children. It's like a treasure.

He started school at the age of six, but the master's knowledge was mediocre, and the cashier didn't do anything, which delayed him for a full year. It wasn't until Master Xu happened to see Zhong Yan's handwriting that he personally went to the school to test him. in his own school.After studying with Master Xu for a year, he took part in the Tongsheng Examination, and became a serious Tongsheng under the title of the head of the county examination. At that year, Zhong Yan was only seven years old, not even eight years old.

Then, because the scholar examination was held every three years, it was delayed for three years. At the age of ten, the good results of the case leader in the government examination made him officially enter the ranks of scholars. It will take two years before he can take the Juren examination, maybe he will be able to pass the examination at that time.

In the town, everyone almost tacitly agreed that Zhong Yan's knowledge had already surpassed Master Xu's, and Master Xu was just bearing the title of his first teacher.

The person who replied said: "Master Xu said this himself, there can be no falsehood. Besides, he is not very old, he is only nine years old."

"Monster..." The person who asked the question thought that he hadn't passed the exam for more than ten years, but people like Zhong Yan and Gu Lin had easily obtained what they dreamed of, and they might even go higher and higher. I can't help but feel a little depressed.

However, he suddenly realized: "You mean his stepfather is the owner of Zhenyouwei Snacks, the brother who caused the young master of the Qian family to turn against his mother because of him, married Miss Cai and still miss him?"

"That's not it." The person who spoke showed a smile. In fact, Gu Lin's reputation among scholars is not that great, and the rumors about his stepfather Lin Zhen spread more. After all, everyone still doesn't believe that he can be compared with Zhong Yan. He even thought that these words were spread by himself, in order to gild himself, so that people would not underestimate him because of his stepfather's notoriety.

After all, they are scholars, and the most important thing is their reputation.

The two had only heard rumors before, and had never met Lin Zhen seriously. At this moment, they all wanted to meet that famous brother, so they stretched their necks to look around, and soon, they found it.

They didn't doubt that it wasn't Lin Zhen, because among the hundreds of people present, he was like a jewel of brilliance, exuding his own pearl without any scruples, his neck and wrists not covered by clothes were white, and his face was very beautiful. , not only them, but many people looked at him involuntarily.

Someone has recognized him, the man can't help but look at him, and because of his reputation, there is a little bit of disdain, the woman and the husband are afraid that their husband will cause a scandal with him because of him like Qian Shaoye Qian Jingyuan Come on, stare at him and take your man away.

Lin Zhen was already used to these gazes and voices. He watched Gu Shuanzi pass the inspection and walked into the gate of the county government. He said hello to Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and others who had not yet been called, and walked to the place where there were steps next to him. , and sat down against the wall.

The time for the exam is fixed, and the county magistrate reads his name very quickly. After a while, only the men and women who send their children or husbands to the exam are left at the gate of the county office. Everyone, like Lin Zhen, finds a place to sit and lean on, with plenty of money. Others go to restaurants and teahouses to kill time.

Suddenly, there was a loud gong sound from the county government office, followed by a vague sound of instructions, and the first session of the Tongsheng Examination began.

After Gu Shuanzi came in, he found that the examination room in the county government office was not wide, and the papers and papers were arranged horizontally and vertically. At the front were the county magistrate, master and master. The three of them were the chief examiners of the children's examination. , inexplicably had a majestic feeling.

The county magistrate also had a roster in his hand, he looked at Gu Shuanzi, and then at the roster: "Gu Lin?"

"Return to the adults, the student is Gu Lin." Gu Lin is taller than ordinary children, and wearing a robe is very pleasing to the eye.

The county magistrate had never seen him before, so naturally he would not pay special attention to a student like him who was still taking the entrance examination for children, and said, "You are at table 36, sit down, and don't make any noise."

The magistrate of the county didn't remember him, so he took Cai Jinzhu's money and asked him to trouble Lin Zhen. In the end, the master who failed to achieve Cai Jinzhu's goal remembered him. He promised to help Cai Jinzhu, but he didn't expect that Lin was really cunning, and Cai Jinzhu was really stupid, so he escaped unharmed.

Afterwards, Cai Jinzhu came to make trouble for herself, saying that she was useless.

If he hadn't been concerned about Cai Jinzhu's father, he wouldn't have bothered to talk to that crazy woman.

The master looked at Gu Shuanzi, and casually said to the magistrate: "My lord, he is the stepson of Lin Zhen who hooked up with Qian Jingyuan in the town last year and got into trouble with Qian Jingyuan's wife in court. How can people learn the books of sages well?"

The magistrate of the county had some impressions of Lin Zhen. He had never seen such a face even in the capital when he was young. He slightly opened his lazy half-opened eyes, looked at Gu Shuanzi, and said after a while: "Follow me His stepfather doesn't look alike."

"..." The master almost spat out a mouthful of blood. What he wanted to hear was not this sentence. He couldn't swallow the tone that he didn't push Lin Zhen to the ground in the courtroom. He didn't want to ask Lin Zhen's son to participate in the childbirth test.

But he knew that this county magistrate with a background was not afraid of these little officials at all. He listened to what he wanted to say, and he didn't listen to it if he didn't want to. 80.00% of it couldn't control his thoughts.

So I can only swallow this breath, thinking that I still have more opportunities.