Chapter 175: Lao Xu, Welcome Home
For Xu Wei, talent is like water.
And his belly is full of water, you can have as much as you want.
Whether in his hometown of Shaoxing or in the capital, everyone who has come into contact with him has nothing but praise for his talent.
It was unbelievable to many people that Xu Wei failed in the provincial examination, and he himself also found it a little strange.
——Shaoxing is an evil place!
After someone told him this, Xu Wei felt that he had found the reason why he had failed in the exams repeatedly. So after Shen Lian introduced him to Mr. Xiao, he agreed without hesitation.
Otherwise, with Xu Wei's arrogance, he would rather teach naughty children than teach female disciples in officials' homes.
Sure enough, Xiao Zhuo used some connections to get his student status transferred to the capital.
When talking about the imperial examinations of the Ming Dynasty, we have to mention the North and South lists.
In the early Ming Dynasty, most of the candidates on the imperial examination list were from the south. The northern scholars were dissatisfied and started to make a fuss, which led to Emperor Taizu creating a north-south list in order to appease the northern scholars.
This shows that southern culture was flourishing.
But the South is also very curly.
How rolled out is it?
Scholars who could pass the imperial examination easily in the north could not even pass the imperial examination in the south.
Xu Wei came to the north from the inward-looking south, and he felt that passing the provincial examination was a piece of cake.
So after the exam, this guy and a few friends drank all day to vent years of depression.
After passing the provincial examination, there is the spring examination... and becoming an official through imperial examination is a path to a successful career.
Xu Wei even prepared follow-up studies for his female disciples... After all, once they passed the provincial examination, he would have to devote all his efforts to preparing for the spring examination.
He stood on one side, and Xiao Zhuo's family of three was on the other side.
The servant who came back with the news lowered his head slightly.
Xiao Jin slowly looked towards the gentleman.
Xu Wei still maintained a reserved smile.
The right hand is still at the beard.
But the smile froze.
"What did you say?"
Xu Wei felt that there was something wrong with his ears.
The servant sighed, and Xu Wei heard it clearly.
"I have looked through the list of top candidates, but I do not see your name."
Because the provincial examination is held in autumn, the time when sweet osmanthus is fragrant, it is also called Guibang.
Xu Wei laughed, "Didn't you see clearly?"
Yes, the list is crowded with people at the moment, so this person definitely couldn’t squeeze in.
Xu Wei bowed and said, "Please wait a moment, Mr. Xiao. I will be back soon."
He walked out of the Xiao family with a calm pace.
"The text is long."
Outside the gate of the Bo Mansion behind him, Hu Zongxian called softly.
But Xu Wei's mind was full of the list of honors at this moment.
He must have seen it wrong!
for sure!
He walked faster and faster.
After leaving the alley, Xu Wei started running.
In the autumn, a fat man was running staggeringly.
At this moment, there were still a large number of people under the list. Not only were the candidates looking at it, but those who were curious were also joining in the fun.
"Give it!"
Xu Wei was almost exhausted from running, and he struggled to squeeze in.
I finally squeezed to the front.
Xu Wei didn't dare to look up.
"Isn't this the great talent Xu Wei, Xu Wenchang?"
A sarcastic voice came.
Xu Wei was arrogant and looked down on others. In history, he even looked down on his own rice boss. During his time in the capital, he also attended some poetry and literary gatherings.
With his personality, it is natural for him to point out the way forward, write inspiring articles, and look down on his peers.
The man who ridiculed him was called Wang Gai. His father was a great scholar. In a literary gathering, he debated with Xu Wei and was criticized completely.
Xu Wei's words were so sharp that Wang Gai was speechless and he covered his face and left.
Xu Wei's head was buzzing.
He slowly looked up.
"Hey! The great talent Xu Wei is here. Look, he must be at the front."
Wang Gai looked up and stretched out his hand to make a awning, "Oh my god! Am I blind? Why is there no name of the great scholar Xu here?"
Xu Wei browsed the list from top to bottom.
No.
It must be my eyes playing tricks on me.
Xu Wei took a deep breath and read it again.
"You can watch it ten times and still not be on the list!"
Wang Gai walked over and pointed to the middle and lower parts of the list, "And I am among them. Xu Wei, where is your talent? Where is your arrogance?"
"This is impossible!"
Xu Wei looked at the list again, and he even considered every word.
After watching the latter part, I wondered if I had missed the former part...
"There is only one person with the surname Xu on the list, and that's Xu Xing, not you, Xu Wei." Wang Gai patted Xu Wei's shoulder, "I heard that you were a tutor in an official's home, but you didn't win the provincial examination. Who would dare to hire you?"
The gentleman we hired couldn't even pass the provincial examination, so you can imagine his level.
"It's not easy to live in the capital. With your arrogant character, who would want to employ you?" Wang Gai smiled proudly, "Go back to your hometown! Find a woman to marry into your family. Anyway, you've been a son-in-law before, so it doesn't matter if you do it again..."
The scar was opened again and again, and it hurt a lot.
Xu Wei looked normal, but there was madness in his eyes.
This is impossible!
Those examiners are blind!
A bunch of dog officials!
"Go back home!"
"The capital is not a place for people like you."
"Hahahaha!"
Wang Gai and his companions burst into laughter.
Xu Wei felt that everyone was laughing at him.
A feeling of unwillingness and humiliation surged up in my chest.
His eyes were red and everything in front of him was a little blurry.
"Go back to your hometown in Shanyin!"
"I'll be your son-in-law!"
Xu Wei's lips moved a few times.
The humiliation that had been accumulating for many years since childhood burst out at this moment.
Xu Wei was panting. He was proud and therefore refused to argue with these people.
Fight for what?
Wang Gai only needed to say one sentence: I was nominated on the list, but you, Xu Wei, failed.
With just this one sentence, Xu Wei had no choice but to cover his face and leave.
Retribution!
Xu Wei smiled bitterly.
But the laughter stopped abruptly.
Wang Gai and the others all looked behind them, seeming to be somewhat frightened.
who is it?
Xu Wei didn't want to look back. At this moment, he just wanted to find a place where no one knew him and get drunk.
"The examiner is blind."
A unfamiliar voice came from behind.
Then the man said, "Old Xu, I told you that you are qualified to be an examiner with your talent. Why do you have to go through all this trouble? The top list, top list, this is just a single-plank bridge. With your talent, what good will it do even if you pass the exam? This path is not suitable for you."
Xu Wei remembered that the voice came from the uncle next door.
"My uncle has always wanted to invite you to be his assistant, but you just won't agree. You always say you want to take part in the imperial examination."
Hu Zongxian smiled and said, "My uncle has long said that your talent is good enough for the examiners, but you have a bad temper and your essay is too sharp. Those examiners are mediocre and can't see the excellence in your essay. Therefore, it will be useless for you to take the exam a hundred times."
The problem with the provincial examination was not yours, but the examiners’ incompetence, as they could not see the brilliance in your essay.
Xu Wei turned around slowly.
Jiang Qingzhi and Hu Zongxian were not far away, looking at him with smiles.
With all hope lost, all his arrogance disappeared at this moment, and Xu Wei smiled bitterly.
but.
He still lowered his head.
He bowed to the ground.
"Xu Wei, meet your uncle!"
Old Xu finally got it... Jiang Qingzhi felt relieved and came over to support him. "The family has already prepared a banquet. The wine is the best wine in the palace. I personally cooked a few dishes to go with the wine. I won't go home until I'm drunk today."
A young nobleman who was trusted by the emperor, who was both talented in civil and military affairs and had a bright future, actually cooked for a scholar who failed the provincial examination.
This courtesy made Wang Gai and others jealous.
That’s Jiang Qingzhi!
The two poems brought the intellectual circles in the capital to silence.
A famous general who went north twice and defeated General Altan Khan.
But he cooked for Xu Wei himself.
This shows how much Jiang Qingzhi valued Xu Wei's talent.
Do you dare to say that Xu Wei’s talent is mediocre?
Then you have to compete with Long Wilbur first.
Jiang Qingzhi passed the imperial examination at the age of thirteen. How old are you?
Jiang Qingzhi, who was not yet twenty, led his army to defeat two generals under Altan Khan. How old are you... No, can you lift a knife?
Anyone who dares to humiliate Xu Wei again at this moment would be humiliating himself.
Xu Wei took one last look at the list of honors.
It is true that I don’t have a name of my own.
But from then on, he didn't have to watch it anymore.
He saw Wang Gai and others.
Wang Gai bowed subconsciously.
Xu Wei knew that this was not an offer to him.
But he came for Jiang Qingzhi.
Xu Wei even saw a look of envy.
Following Jiang Qingzhi, who is both civil and military, Xu Wei might be remembered in history.
Wang Gai and others still have to continue preparing for the Spring Examination, which is the real single-plank bridge.
But Xu Wei had already embarked on another path.
That night Xiao Zhuo also came to the Jiang family.
Xu Wei got drunk and woke up thirsty in the early morning of the next day, and memories came flooding back.
His biological mother was a concubine. After his father passed away, his biological mother was driven out of the house by his stepmother. Later, his stepmother died, and he lived with his half brother.
You are not born of the same mother, why should I raise you?
Xu Wei grew up in this humiliating environment.
Although he was extremely talented and was known as a child prodigy, he encountered repeated setbacks on the road to imperial examinations.
Because his brother was indifferent, Xu Wei had no choice but to become a son-in-law to help his father-in-law who was an official in order to make a living.
But his wife died early, and Xu Wei, as a son-in-law, became unemployed again.
So, he, who prided himself on being a great talent, had to teach female students to make a living.
Now his boss is Jiang Qingzhi.
Xu Wei got up and washed.
Then he went straight to the small training ground.
"The text is long."
Jiang Qingzhi was practicing martial arts, and saw him wielding a sword in a friendly manner.
"Uncle." Xu Wei bowed randomly.
"Old Xu, come here and practice martial arts." Hu Zongxian forcibly pulled him over.
"Shi Tou, teach Lao Xu." Hu Zongxian looked like a kind-hearted person.
But Xu Wei felt that this guy had ulterior motives.
However, all men have the desire to wield swords and guns, and Xu Wei was tempted.
"Practice martial arts first, stretch your legs. Come on, open your legs..."
Sun Chonglou's first "disciple" was Hu Zongxian, but old Hu was lazy, so he had high hopes for his second "disciple".
Xu Wei opened his legs, and Sun Chonglou pressed his shoulders and pushed down hard.
"Ow!"
The air in the early morning was nice. After having breakfast with his limping leg, Xu Wei felt that there was at least one benefit of living in the Mu Bo Mansion: delicious food!
After breakfast, Jiang Qingzhi called him and Hu Zongxian over.
In the study, three cups of tea.
Jiang Qingzhi held Duoduo in his arms and asked, "How did Old Hu investigate the Ma Chongde incident?"
Hu Zongxian said: "Last time, Ma Chongde and others reported that the uncle was smuggling outside the Great Wall. It seemed like competition, but later I found out that Ma Chongde had close contacts with Cui Yuan and others..."
Jiang Qingzhi looked at Xu Wei, "Old Xu just came home, it's reasonable to let you rest."
Xu Wei raised his eyebrows and was about to let loose, but Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "But I know that you like to do things. The more troublesome the work is, the happier you are. Then you and Lao Hu should do this."
Xu Wei was dumbfounded.
Jiang Qingzhi got up and went out.
Xu Wei looked at Hu Zongxian, "Old Hu, have you told me everything about my temper?"
But Hu Zongxian was equally shocked and said, "I swear, I never said that."
"Yesterday, my uncle said that I would definitely fail the provincial examination." Xu Wei thought of Jiang Qingzhi's prediction yesterday.
Coupled with what Jiang Qingzhi had just said, Xu Wei felt that he was naked in front of his boss and had no privacy at all.
"My Lord... could it be that you have divine powers?" Xu Wei found it unbelievable.
The two walked out of the study.
Jiang Qingzhi was standing outside talking to Sun Chonglou. When he saw Xu Wei coming out, Sun Chonglou handed him a match.
"What do you mean?" Xu Wei asked.
"Old Hu." Sun Chonglou raised his eyebrows at Hu Zongxian.
Hu Zongxian coughed dryly, "This is the joining ceremony, no, what is it called... the joining ceremony."
Old Hu, you look like a traitor at this moment...Xu Wei took the firewood, blew it up, and moved closer.
Jiang Qingzhi lowered his head and took a few puffs, then raised his eyes and patted the back of Xu Wei's hand.
"Welcome home, Lao Xu!"
(End of this chapter)
