Chapter 1022: The Talent of a Xingpu Xingpu Zhuangyuan

As an important node city connecting the two sides of the Yangtze River and communicating the north and south of the Grand Canal, Yangzhou had developed water and land transportation, and the daily flow of people was very large, and all the city gates were very busy.

Little Dongliang followed the coachman, sitting on the edge of the front of the carriage, swinging his short legs leisurely, watching the flow of people coming and going.

Before being a book boy for the young master, his parents told him to be careful, careful, and careful, even if the young master wanted to beat him to death, he had to endure it. But after really being a book boy for the young master, he felt that his parents were scaring him.

He could eat meat every day, and there was sugar. When entering the city, the young master would buy some snacks, and he could follow and eat a lot. The young master also cut some good materials for him, and asked the old master of the silk shop to make him several sets of clothes. He could also read books in the young master's study, and when he encountered problems he didn't understand, the young master always smiled when he asked.

Little Dongliang felt that this was truly a fairy life.

The only bad thing might be that the young master recently asked him to practice martial arts together, and he was exhausted every day, and he had to be beaten, which was not good.

However, the young master said that everything has a price. He thought that having to be tired, beaten, and study every day was probably the price he had to pay for being able to eat and drink.

He was not stupid, of course he cherished it, it was just a happy complaint. Every time he went out, he would say this with people of the same age in the village...

The coachman controlled the horse to slow down, turned back and spoke to the inside of the curtain: "Young master, we have arrived outside the city."

Little Dongliang came back to his senses, jumped off the carriage nimbly, and ran to the back of the carriage to unload the horse stool. Although the young master got on and off the carriage very easily, he saw that other young masters got off like this, so he stubbornly had to take the horse stool every time.

Wang Yan bent down and walked out of the carriage, straightened his body, and stretched his arms in a big stretch. His carriage was really comfortable, plus the road was bumpy, so lying down and shaking all the way was very relaxing.

At this moment, a loud shout of "Brother Ziyan" came from afar.

Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw Liu Yun, who was widely connected, coming over with several scholars.

Wang Yan stepped on the horse stool and got off the carriage, arched his hands to the group of people who came over: "I don't know what Brother Jingshu is doing here?"

"Specifically waiting for you, Wang Ziyan." Liu Yun waved his hand, "Ziyan, you have hidden it from me so painfully. Could it be that you have apprenticed to Master Ouyang, look down on me, and don't want to associate with me?"

"Brother, what are you talking about? How could I be such a person? It's just that this is my first time participating in the state examination, and I have been silent for many years. How can I be as calm as you? Seeing that there are not many months left, my heart is really uneasy. Therefore, I am either studying at home or asking for advice at Master Ouyang's mansion, and I really can't spare any time.

If it weren't for this, brother, you have made a name for me, so that the whole city knows about my proposal on the street, how could there be such a great momentum. And how could there be brothers and Brother Jingshu waiting for me outside the city, it's really embarrassing for me."

After speaking, Wang Yan bowed to the others who came together, and his posture was very low.

For a time, everyone exchanged polite greetings. Among these people, there were sons of wealthy families, sons of small officials, local scholars who came to Yangzhou to study from the counties below, and several poor scholars. Rich, poor, a group of more than ten people.

They flattered Wang Yan, saying that Wang Yan's poems were well written, and they were widely circulated on both sides of the Yangtze River, and they were afraid that they would reach Bianjing. They also said that he proposed on the street and dared to go to the Sheng family's door, and they envied him. They said he was lucky to apprentice to Ouyang Xiu, and he couldn't forget them after he developed in the future, etc.

Wang Yan was simple, saying they were handsome, had good families, spoke well, and would definitely have a future. It was a formal commercial mutual flattery.

After a good while, Liu Yun took Wang Yan's arm and said: "Ziyan, I think you should be free today, why don't we have a banquet and write some good poems and lyrics?"

"Brother, I am going to Master Ouyang's mansion today, and then I have to go to the Sheng mansion again. I really don't have any free time. Furthermore, thinking that the exam date is approaching, my heart is hesitant and uneasy, and I really have no heart for drinking and feasting."

Wang Yan shook his head sincerely and refused, "If I pass the exam, I will definitely invite brothers to gather together. If I don't pass, it will not be too late to gather and feast in the future. It's only half a year, why are brothers in such a hurry?"

Seeing Wang Yan's sincere eyes and the surging ambition, inexplicably, the scholars present felt a little ashamed. But then, they couldn't help but feel that Wang Yan was too fucking pretentious.

This had nothing to do with good or bad, it was just that Wang Yan was a bit unsociable. They didn't study, Wang Yan studied, which was a bit prominent.

It was mainly because these players were useless. As long as they passed the exam, these people would still wave flags for him. They belonged to the players who automatically leaned over, and there was no need for Wang Yan to deliberately win them over. Otherwise, he wouldn't study at all. As long as he wasn't targeted, he could pass the exam and get a degree with his eyes closed. It would be better to go to brothels with them, brag, and have a unique flavor. After all, there were too few entertainment activities at this time, and he was quite free.

Seeing Wang Yan's firm attitude, Liu Yun and other idle scholars couldn't force him, which would lose the elegance of scholars, so they had to congratulate Wang Yan on being accepted as a disciple by Ouyang Xiu again, saying that Wang Yan would definitely pass the exam, and then left with a laugh to gather for their party.

"Now there are so many scholars waiting at the city gate, the young master is becoming more and more influential." Watching the backs of Liu Yun and others leaving, Little Dongliang sighed.

"If I don't pass the autumn exam, the young master's momentum will be even greater."

"I think the young master will definitely pass the exam. These people are all going to take the exam together in the autumn. At this time, they still have to gather, feast, and go to brothels. They definitely won't do well. The young master is much better than them even if he is not good."

Little Dongliang meant that the imperial examination always had to select a few successful candidates, and it was impossible for none of them to pass. The competitors in the same field were all such players, and Wang Yan started very high.

"You've made progress." Wang Yan patted Little Dongliang's head, walked slowly into the city with his hands behind his back.

The team on duty at the city gate today was the one Wang Yan knew. Of course, even if he didn't know them now, they knew him.

Just as Dongliang said, he now had a great reputation.

Liu Yun didn't keep it secret for seven days. He couldn't hold it after only five days. Once when he was gathering outside, he said it out of drunkenness, intentionally or unintentionally. At that time, the reputation of the Wang child prodigy, who had been silent for several years, began to spread among the scholars in Yangzhou City again.

And at that time, Wang Yan had already apprenticed to Ouyang Xiu. Sheng Hong also put in a lot of effort for his future son-in-law. He sent people to spread the word about Wang Yan's proposal, how he performed, how he, the Sheng judge, had a discerning eye, and how he set this marriage with an open mind. Most importantly, of course, was the love poem Wang Yan wrote for Sheng Hualan.

Then he took the love poem personally penned by Wang Yan and sent it to Ouyang Xiu, attracting Ouyang Xiu's attention, highlighting Ouyang Xiu's impatience, and running to Wang Family Village to accept disciples early the next morning. Finally, it was the two poems Wang Yan wrote, and he spent a lot of money on publicity.

After these few days, it can be said that Wang Yan has become popular all over Yangzhou. In brothels, various famous and small families are discussing that there hasn't been such a romantic scholar for a long time, and the newly arranged songs are also that "A Cut of Plum Blossoms". In the streets and alleys, adapted picture books have spread, which are very romantic, praising the romantic scholar for admiring women and resisting arranged marriages.

And in the fields and the children of various families in the city, they have begun to recite "What is obtained from books is ultimately shallow, and one must practice it to know it". It's just that some are self-encouragement, and some are full of ignorant longing for the imperial examination.

Even his business in the silk shop and medicine shop in the city has become better because of the influence of his fame. There are also many scholars who have not seen Wang Yan's calligraphy who come to see the plaque written by Wang Yan outside the two shops.

Even if they passed by often before, maybe they found the calligraphy very good unintentionally, but they didn't take it seriously, which stemmed from their insufficient appreciation ability. But now that Ouyang Xiu admitted that he was not as good as Wang Yan, it instantly raised the value of Wang Yan's calligraphy. Those who didn't take it seriously before now can't wait to pry the plaque to see the flowers.

Also affected by this, many people began to ask Wang Yan for calligraphy. Some entrusted Sheng Hong, some asked Ouyang Xiu, and many merchants simply found Wang Yan to ask for calligraphy.

So when Wang Yan arrived at Ouyang Xiu's mansion, he had to write some calligraphy first.

"Watching Ziyan write calligraphy is truly an enjoyment."

To check his studies, Ouyang Xiu ordered Wang Yan to recite the classics, and by the way, abused his power to specify the use of cursive script. Watching Wang Yan writing elegantly without any stumbling, he couldn't help but stroke his goatee with satisfaction.

"Fa'er, don't envy, you still have to carefully copy ancient calligraphy, and only when you have achieved something can you write cursive."

The one called Fa'er is the child with a child's bun standing on the side on tiptoe. This is Ouyang Xiu's eldest son, Ouyang Fa, eight years old this year. Like the thirteen-year-old Sheng Changbai, they are both little adults. Clearly a round little face, but he has to force out a serious and earnest look, and he loves to study.

"Master is right, laying a solid foundation is the right principle. Even if everyone says that I am gifted by heaven, it is step by step that I have achieved today. My great reputation is still borrowed from Master's momentum. If it weren't for this, my calligraphy would be worthless. There are many vulgar people in this world, boring, boring."

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows at the little fatty while moving his brush to lick the ink, and said something annoying.

In the little fatty's small eyes, there was great contempt, and he was broken by Wang Yan's words. If he couldn't beat him, he would have jumped up and hit the dog head of the unreliable senior brother to relieve his hatred.

Between laughter and laughter, he finished a piece of calligraphy and examined a policy essay for Ouyang Xiu, which was dictated, because there was too much writing.

Ouyang Xiu nodded with satisfaction: "If Ziyan performs normally, the top scholar is promising."

"Didn't the Master say there are powerful enemies in the imperial court?" Wang Yan asked, playing along with the nonsense.

"Silly boy, how much money did your father-in-law spend to make a name for you? I also wrote letters to friends and disciples to make a name for you, and recently I even sent your calligraphy copybook. In another month or two, your name will resound through Bianjing. The deeds of your proposal on the street, and that one lyric and two poems, have such a great reputation, even if I don't mention it, the Emperor should know. Even if someone presses your paper, the Emperor will definitely ask."

Ouyang Xiu squinted at his beloved disciple, and his square face wrote that you understand this time...

Wang Yan had a sudden realization: "Student is dull, didn't think of such a joint, Master is truly mature and prudent, student admires it very much."

"Okay, do you think I am a confused old fool? I am blurred, not stupid, do you think I don't know your thoughts?"

"That is, brother, you are pretending to be too fake." The little broken child was proud of seeing through the unlucky senior brother's little thoughts, but he didn't care that he had already broken his work and didn't have the board-like appearance of a little adult in the past.

Wang Yan looked at him with a smile: "Good brother, according to you, is it that I don't say it clearly, or I really don't understand, or is it like this, both understanding and pretending not to understand, and letting Master see that I actually understand and pretend not to understand, which one can make Master happier?"

The little fatty's brain turned, understood the meaning of the unlucky senior brother, and the body that was originally sitting upright collapsed.

Ouyang Xiu shook his head with a laugh, staring at Wang Yan as if dissatisfied: "Why say these things to Fa'er? If you spoil him, I will settle the account with you."

"This is the way of survival, it won't work if you don't understand."

Ouyang Xiu is not an old pedant. After contacting for many days, he also knows Wang Yan's character, flexible, but with bones.

He said: "Speaking of which, many of my disciples, you, Wang Ziyan, are the most smooth."

"Thank you, Master, for the compliment."

"Shamelessness is also the first."

The master and disciple laughed loudly together, only the little fatty looked at his father and the unlucky senior brother like a fool.

After laughing, Ouyang Xiu asked: "Ziyan, since the Taizong, our Great Song has set the system, the top scholar is granted the position of Jiangzuo Jiancheng, and the judge of the states. I don't know where Ziyan intends to go? You can say it first, so as not to really become the top scholar and not know where to go."

As Ouyang Xiu said, the top scholar has a bright future, and the starting point is the cadre under the central jurisdiction of the Emperor's heart. It doesn't have to be the top scholar, the top three have a good future. It's just that the top scholar is exceptionally awesome, starting with a rocket.

Although Sheng Hong is also a Jinshi, he is a low-level Jinshi. After ten years of being an official, he is only a judge. The top scholar is directly at the same level as Sheng Hong, and promotion is prioritized. Sheng Hong has to serve for three years, and the assessment is evaluated.

But the top scholar is different. He doesn't have to have high achievements in the local area, but as long as there is no major mistake, he will be promoted back to the central government in about two years. And then work for two or three years, and then be sent to the local area or the Three Departments and Six Ministries of the central government. At this time, it is about the level of the governor, all of which are real power officials. Then rising is a small mountain head that can be called, and it already has status.

If Wang Yan really took the top scholar, he would be Sheng Hong's superior in three years. This is the huge difference between people and people. However, Sheng Hong might have feelings, but more, he can be happy to go crazy...

"Should go to Hebei to face Liao, or to Hedong to face Western Xia."

"If the Emperor asks, what will you say?"

"Naturally, where the Emperor thinks, the student will go."

"The Emperor has always liked capable officials, aren't you afraid of being disliked by the Emperor?"

Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "Even if the student is smooth and shameless, there must be achievements to be promoted. If it is just a person who talks big, no matter how much the Emperor likes it, I am afraid it is difficult to use."

They are all emperors, who is willing to be sprayed with saliva by someone pulling their sleeves? Zhao Zhen was dragged by Old Bao and sprayed. As for other ministers, they were even more impolite. His majesty as an emperor was not very sufficient.

If someone speaks well and acts reliably, would Zhao Zhen not like them? Wang Yan hasn't never been an emperor himself; if it weren't for his firm resolve, frequently stirring up major cases, killing tens of thousands, and possessing such overwhelming prestige, those ministers under him could have flattered him to death.

Ouyang Xiu also laughed and said: "You can't go to the border. If you are really the top scholar, you are only nineteen years old. At such an age, no one is at ease. Young people are greedy for merit and advance rashly, and the border is prone to trouble. If the enemy has an opportunity to take advantage of, and invades on a large scale, it is a great crime to harm the country. I think you should be a judge near the capital."

"It doesn't matter where, as long as there is a place to act."

"Good ambition. Being an official, the first priority is stability, and then you will know the slow and urgent, the mystery of which, you will have your own experience in the future. Young people are most afraid of being impatient, the more impatient, the harder it is to succeed."

"Student accepts the teaching."

This is serious preaching, Wang Yan bowed solemnly...

After receiving some teachings in the Ouyang mansion and having lunch, he went to the Sheng mansion.

In the study, Sheng Hong was drinking tea: "This tea is the new tea made by the stir-frying method, how is it?"

"Naturally, it is much better than my wild rock tea in the wild."

"I don't understand business, can this tea really earn money?"

Wang Yan spat out a mouthful of tea foam without hesitation: "Master Ouyang has already written letters to all directions, praising clear tea. Previously, I sent some wild rock tea to Master Ouyang, and he entertained guests with it. I heard that guests were all happy. How much did the main house stir-fry? If it is a lot, uncle can send some good tea to the key officials in the state. In less than half a month, someone will definitely seek to buy clear tea."

The process of stir-frying tea is not difficult, the difficulty lies in the control of each link. After apprenticing that day, Sheng Hong found people from the Sheng family's main house to come to Wang Family Village to study.

It's not that the Sheng family's main house is awesome, the ones who came were skilled workers in tea making. After studying for two days and understanding the process, now they saw the finished products made by craftsmanship much more skilled than those in Wang Yan's family, and they had to be professional people doing professional things.

Sheng Hong nodded: "Since this is the case, I will write a letter to let the main house make more clear tea and send some more over. This time, a lot was sent, take some back when you leave, and Master Ouyang there..."

Wang Yan saw his appearance and knew that he definitely didn't dare to do it with all his strength, and still had to retain a large part of the previous practice. Mainly because he ate people's mouth short, and he didn't understand business, so he was embarrassed to teach the main house how to do business with the style of a head of the family.

"Naturally, uncle should go personally."

"That's fine." Sheng Hong nodded with a smile, "What did Master Ouyang teach today?"

"Said that nephew is promising to be the top scholar next spring."

"Really?"

"Naturally, it can't be taken seriously." Seeing that the father-in-law was stunned, Wang Yan smiled, "Uncle is also a Jinshi, and should know the difficulty of the imperial examination. Nephew has not yet passed the state examination, how can I talk about the top scholar in the palace examination? It's just that Master Ouyang comforted nephew, to avoid abnormal performance in the imperial examination."

"Also, but if you really get the top scholar, that's excellent."

"Nephew will naturally strive for progress." Wang Yan replied with a smile and drank another cup of clear tea.

The top scholar is pointed by the Emperor. The test papers are pasted with names, and the big shots of various pavilions select the best few papers together and rank them in order. The Emperor sees whose writing is to his heart, and points who to be the top scholar. After that, there is a regret, after multi-party consideration, maybe feel that who is not suitable, want to frustrate the sharpness, suppress the edge, and call it good for people, change the ranking of others, etc.

Even if Wang Yan is awesome, he can't guarantee that he will be the top scholar. After all, he can't decide Zhao Zhen's mood. No one knows whether an old emperor who failed to reform and strengthen the country, is dying and has no son, will suddenly go crazy.

But there is one good thing, as long as you pass the provincial examination, which is often called the meeting examination, you will not be dismissed, and you can be an official. Generally, there are two hundred people each time, and the higher the ranking, the better the future.

It is said that because a person named Zhang Yuan was dismissed and voted for Western Xia, and turned around to specifically work on Great Song, so the provincial examination not dismissed became a custom, and it has been maintained until the Great Qing died...

Chatting with Sheng Hong for a while, he was urged to start writing big characters. He accepted some people's entrustment, so Wang Yan couldn't help but write big characters to save face for his father-in-law when he came here.

On the way, under Sheng Hong's bad-tempered gaze, Hualan ran over to add tea and water. She didn't talk to Wang Yan, just eyes flashing electricity, until Sheng Hong stared with dissatisfaction, Hualan then smiled sweetly at Wang Yan and left reluctantly.

To this point, the marriage has been set, and there is no room for Sheng Hong to go back on his word. Even if Wang Yan is mixed up, he has to recognize it. If not, it is hitting his own face, losing face, and it will be difficult to mix in the future.

And with Sheng Changbai's diligent coming and going, Wang Yan and Hualan are also becoming more and more familiar, and the letters exchanged are also increasingly blushing, and Hualan has long been unable to handle it. Now it can be said that days are like years, and she wants to marry out early.

So every time Wang Yan comes to the Sheng family and eats here, Hualan runs to serve dishes and pour wine. When drinking tea here, Hualan has to add tea and water. The beautiful face is full of spring, the eyes are full of waves, and she wants to talk and stop, which is very interesting.

It's just that if it were modern times, Wang Yan's shamelessness might be illegal, but everything else is quite good... ===== CHAPTER 1023 =====