Zhang Yue quietly walked back to his room from the door. When passing by the south room, he heard Zhang Shi talking to Mr. Yu, and he couldn't help but stop and listen.

He wouldn't be like this in the past, but it's different today.

But Ting Zhangshi said: "Third brother is thirteen this year, it's time for us to get married."

Zhang Yue heard that it really had something to do with him, and it was a major event in his life. His brother really didn't just talk about it casually on New Year's Eve.

Yu said: "When my second uncle was twenty, you were not in a hurry. Why did your third uncle rush you when he was only thirteen?"

Zhang Shi said: "You don't understand. The second uncle is a county school student and one of the most talented people in the county. But the third uncle is different. He will be sixteen in three years and will be a young man."

Yu said: "Yes, the second uncle can be exempted from military service, but the third brother cannot. If sixteen percent of the family is born, then our family will be a double family. No wonder you are so anxious."

Zhang Shi said: "That's why I want my third brother to get married as soon as possible and separate the family. You also know that the taxes and servitude are so heavy nowadays. Although there is Xu Dutou looking after the yamen, I am afraid that one day the county will become more serious.

"

Yu said: "But how can we find a good girl for my third brother? I'm afraid there is no good girl in our family who is willing to marry her. Besides, when we separate, we need a place to live. But right now, let alone the place to live, even the dowry will be given to us."

I can’t even afford it.”

Zhang Shi sighed: "This is also where I am in trouble. Let me think about it again."

After a while, the sound of clothes being draped could be heard in the room.

"Where are you going?"

Zhang Shi said: "Let's go have a drink at Xu Dutou. You don't have to wait for me tonight."

"How can you be like you and go out as soon as you say you want to go out?"

Zhang Yue quickly returned to his room and heard Zhang Shi open the door and leave.

The stars are shining brightly at night.

In a back alley, a house covered with a rag curtain came from a house with shouts coming one after another.

Among the group of people, Zhang Shi stood in front of the gambling table with a red face. He didn't know how many nights he had been here, and he didn't know why. He had been going smoothly in the past few days, and he could win one or two times every day.

But today he lost everything all at once. He was eager to make money and even borrowed ten thousand dollars from the gambling stall. He didn't believe that today's luck would continue to be like this.

"Pure! Pure!" Zhang Shi shouted with his eyes widened, "If you can't do it, I will screen it myself."

Several people on the other side laughed: "Then let Mr. Zhang make the decision himself."

Zhang Shi murmured to himself: "I would never do this myself, my fate is up to me!"

At that moment, Zhang Shi sifted vigorously and then opened the copper coins on the ground.

"Haha, it's all just words! Mr. Zhang, you screened this yourself, you can't blame us!"

With beads of sweat falling from his forehead, Zhang Shi smashed the gaming table with all his strength.

Everyone was shocked: "Master Zhang, what are you doing?"

"Xie Di started writing all night long. This was not the case in the past."

"How can I explain this clearly? Mr. Zhang, you are tired today. Please sit aside and rest."

Zhang Shi shook his head and said: "Better again! Better fight!"

"But you have no money. You even gave us ten dollars on credit."

"No," Zhang Shi said ferociously, "I'm going to wash my hands. I'll open it with my own hands next time. It will be pure."

"But what about the money?"

"If you give me credit again, I'll pay you back as soon as I win."

"We only lend ten dollars on credit at most."

"No, I clearly saw that Officer Xue got fifty guan on credit from you a few days ago."

Several people on the other side looked at each other.

One person said warmly: "I would like to advise you, Mr. Zhang, if you don't have this destiny, don't come here. If you lose all your money, will your whole family drink from the northwest wind? It seems that your winnings with us these days are exactly equal to your losses today.

A word of advice, stop it as soon as possible!"

Zhang Shi suddenly realized: "Yes, what should I do with my wife and Xi'er? Yes, how can I see them when I go back after losing all my money? I'm really useless!"

Zhang Shi walked out of the gambling stall in a panic. He didn't know when he left, but he saw two people standing at the entrance of the alley.

His wife Yu was holding Zhangqiu in her arms and looking at him.

"Madam, Xi'er...I..." Zhang Shi shed tears.

"Daddy!"

At this moment, Zhang Yue, who was watching this scene at the other end of the alley, couldn't help but turn his back.

From the other end of the alley, Peng Jingyi came running in small steps: "This is my brother's IOU. Fortunately, you noticed it early, so it didn't cause a big disaster."

Zhang Yue looked at the ten IOUs and said, "Who is behind this?"

Peng Jingyi said: "Don't worry about it. Those little minions are just following orders, so what's the point of beating them up? It's a blessing to have the money back now. You can't cause trouble now. You can rest assured and worship Mr. Boyi."

I'll just settle the score with these people when I get some time off."

Zhang Yue looked at Zhang Shi's family again and nodded: "Okay, you can help me hide this from my elder brother first."

Zhang Yue believed that Mr. Yu had his own means to control Zhang Shi. After he handed the IOU to Mr. Yu, he counted the days until the fifth day of the lunar month and prepared to go back to Wuxi to study.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhuang Xuexuan came to see Zhang Yue again. As usual, the two closed the door and talked.

Xuexue Zhuang said straight to the point: "I heard that Mr. Boyi has a new disciple who can master his seal script. Is that you?"

Zhang Yue nodded and said: "Of course! I wonder what Mr. Zhuang has to say?"

Zhuang Xuexue looked solemn after receiving Zhang Yue's confirmation: "I didn't expect that Sanlang could become the disciple of Mr. Boyi. That would be disrespectful."

Zhang Yue knew what Zhuang Xuexue was thinking in his heart. He originally thought that he was under Guo Xuexue, so he had no way to know Zhou Xuezheng, but now that Zhang Yue is under Zhang Youzhi, let alone Xuezheng.

The Zhang family has produced many high-ranking officials. It is enough for Zhang Youzhi to introduce one or two people to Zhang Yue.

In this way, Zhuang Xuexue lost this great opportunity.

Seeing the remorseful look on Xuexue Zhuang's face, Zhang Yue thought that this road could not be broken yet.

After all, the Clan School has not yet officially agreed to accept its disciples, and the duck it has obtained may fly at any time.

At the same time, this person is also Zhangqiu's teacher. Some people are not good at helping others, but they are thieves when it comes to harming others. For the sake of caution, if the other person has contacts with Zhou Xuezheng, then he can still do bad things.

Zhang Yue coughed lightly and said, "Mr. Zhuang is my boss. If it weren't for you, I would never know that this casually made up three-character poem could qualify me to participate in the child prodigy examination."

Upon hearing this, Xuexue Zhuang was overjoyed and said, "Sanlang is really a kind man."

Zhang Yue turned around and said, "But my knowledge is not yet solid at the moment. If I really take part in the prodigy examination, I am afraid that my talent will not be worthy of my qualifications and I will lose my reputation as a gentleman. What should I do?"

Zhuang Xuexue said: "You can report it first, and leave it all to me..."

"It's inappropriate, it's inappropriate."

"How long will it take?"

"Of course."

Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Please rest assured, Mr. Zhuang, whether I am Mr. Boyi's disciple or not, your benefit will be indispensable in this matter."

It is said to be a benefit, but it will depend on the size at that time.

After sending the scholar away from the village, Zhang Yue packed his luggage and headed to Wuxi the next day.

School at Nanfeng Academy would not start until after the beginning of spring, but Guo Xuexuan called him back on the fifth day of the new year.

The reason is quite simple, because the county school recruitment begins in March.

Guo Lin wanted to go all out for this battle. As for Zhang Yue, Guo Xuexue wanted him to give it a try and try his luck.

The county is divided into Jingshengzhai and Jinshizhai.

Jingsheng Zhai is specifically for subjects such as the Nine Classics and Five Classics, while Jinshi Zhai is for Jinshi subjects.

It is a well-known fact that the future of Jinshi subjects is much higher than that of other subjects.

If you are willing to look through the history of the Song Dynasty and carefully look at the family backgrounds of the ministers in the biographies, almost none of them were born from ordinary people, and most of them were descended from officials and celebrities.

Most of the famous officials in the biographies of Song Dynasty also came from the Jinshi Department.

Therefore, it is conceivable that the scholars who apply for Jinshi are definitely either rich or noble.

For scholars with little background, only various subjects have some hope. But having no background is relative, so-called various subjects, even scholars with no background at all can't get into it.

Naturally, Guo Lin and Zhang Yue were awarded Jingyi Zhai in the county school.

As soon as Zhang Yue arrived in Wuxi that day, Guo Xuexiu said to the two of them: "Both of you must listen carefully to every word below and remember it in your heart. During the Chinese New Year, I visited the county school Xue Zhengshi, and he said that this time the county school

For the admission test, five people will be selected from Jinshi Zhai and ten people will be selected from Jingyi Zhai."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, for Pucheng County, which has a population of 70,000 to 80,000 people, the number of students admitted is neither too many nor too few.

"When the imperial court selects scholars, they will judge their learning by writing classics and their talents by writing miscellaneous essays. As long as you write every word of the classics and ink meanings correctly, no one can replace you. But if you make a mistake in one word, there is no guarantee that someone else will not replace you."

Of."
To be continued...