The Little First Grand Secretary in My House Chapter 152:

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Because of Zheng Lizheng's words, the eyes of the two scholars He Qiao were focused on Xue Tingyan's face.

Of course they didn't understand the clues. They only thought that Zheng Lizheng suddenly mentioned it and wondered if there was something hidden in it. After all, they all knew before coming that this was a competition between two descendants of the same family.

The competition is about knowledge and the future.

They all come from poor families. Of course they know how difficult it is to study in a peasant family. That's why Xue Tingyan said before that the Xue family has never forgotten to cultivate their children and grandchildren while settling down. Qiao Xiucai would greatly appreciate it.

Because he knows that this matter may seem trivial, but in fact it is too difficult for farmers. How many people have the idea of ​​​​changing their own destiny by reading.

It can be said that those who come from poor families in the countryside and achieve great fame have all experienced great hardships. Their starting point is much lower than others. It takes countless efforts to catch up with others. At the same time, they have to face all kinds of cruel competition. .

This kind of competition is not only between classmates and exams, but also between the same clan, and even one's own brothers.

If you succeed, the sea and the sky will be vast, and you will be no ordinary person from now on. If you fail, you will put down the book and pick up the hoe, and face the loess and back to the sky for the rest of your life.

Because they understood this kind of cruelty, the two of them couldn't help but wonder whether the boy was deliberately weakening his own knowledge, just to get his brother to lower the difficulty of the questions. But this is a double-edged sword. After all, leaving your studies to others is a disadvantage to yourself.

These thoughts only happened in an instant, and because of the sudden attention from He Xiucai and Qiao Xiucai, Xue Qingshan's eyebrows jumped wildly, for fear that Xue Tingyan would say something shocking again. At this time, he could no longer think about why Xue Tingyan knew the interpretation of the scriptures, and he completely forgot that his previous idea was that Xue Tingyan did not know the meaning of the scriptures, and it would be effortless for his son to defeat him.

The same applies to Clan Chief Xue. If something happens in the clan that cannot be seen, it is limited to the clan. If it happens in public, it will be a bit ugly.

The two men's eyes seemed to be filled with needles, burning anxiously on Xue Tingyan's face. Unexpectedly, he smiled shyly and said: "The boy was weak and sick when he was young, so he inevitably fell behind."

Xue Qingshan hurriedly smiled and said: "That's it. I'm not afraid that the two seniors will laugh. My nephew is actually very talented, but his weak body has hindered his studies."

Clan Chief Xue also nodded in agreement.

No one else knew what the fuss was about, they just opened their eyes and watched. Only Zheng Lizheng seemed to realize that there was something wrong, but he couldn't tell the details and could only remain silent.

After another round of humility between He Xiucai and Qiao Xiucai, He Xiucai took the lead in the end. Sitting at the top, he said to Xue Tingyan: "Since you don't understand the meaning of the scriptures and it is beyond the scope of your study, it would be unfair. You two are still young, and it is time to lay the foundation, so I will test you two. People are basic."

Hearing this, although Xue Juncai was a little disappointed that he was overqualified and missed the opportunity to perform, he was also disdainful.

If you don’t examine the classics and meanings, then Xue Tingyan is no match for him!

He Xiucai pinched his beard with his hand, pondered for a while, and said: "Zhu Zi said: The size of learning is inherently different, but it is the Tao, and it is just one. This is just for young people. If they don't learn it in primary school, then There is no way to absorb his heart and cultivate his virtue, which is the foundation of a university. You two can each silently write a "Disciple Rules".

Both of them did not expect that the first question would be to memorize the "Disciples' Regulations". You must know that the "Disciples' Regulations" were learned at the beginning of elementary school, and the whole text only has about a thousand words. In addition to the general introduction, it is divided into seven chapters: filial piety when entering, brotherhood when going out, sincerity, trust, universal love for all, affection for benevolence, and remaining learning.

Each chapter is not long, just three words per sentence, rhyming together, and catchy. It lists various norms that disciples should abide by at home, when going out, and when dealing with others. It is a classic that teaches children how to be upright, do their best, stay honest when doing evil, and cultivate a loyal family tradition and self-control. It also exactly corroborates what He Xiucai said before, the size of learning is inherently different, but it is the Tao, and it is just the same.

Someone has already prepared a square table and ink. Each person has a table in front of the hall, and even the ink has been polished with help.

The two came to the table and started writing without any hesitation.

As the two of them wrote furiously, the noise gradually faded away. Even if the country people don't understand any big principles, they still know that they can't disturb scholars when they are doing their studies.

This is not a problem for Xue Tingyan, because he only has one book, so he has spent a lot of effort to memorize the things he has learned in elementary school.

Not only memorize it, but also memorize it. Only in this way can he answer questions fluently when asked in class, because he has no reference at all.

Not having a book is better than having a book, because these are all engraved in the mind. Especially since he had that dream, in order to fear that his memory would be affected, he had recited the book he had memorized countless times in his mind.

While Xue Tingyan wrote vigorously, he also had a slight change in his view of He Xiucai.

He could tell that the other party asked such an unexpected question, not because the other party was deliberately letting off steam, but because he wanted to catch him by surprise. Because these disciple rules are too simple for scholars, they learned them when they were just starting to learn, but they just threw them away after learning them.

Except for the early days of elementary school, I will not take these exams later. It may be a test of the Three-Character Classic, or even the Hundred Family Surnames, Thousand-Character Classic, but it will not be this disciple rule.

Xue Tingyan even couldn't wait to see Xue Juncai's reaction. Maybe the other party could roughly write down this article, maybe write down all the more than a thousand words, and each word is good and the order is good? Moreover, when He Xiucai asked Mo to follow the rules of his disciples, I am afraid that he was not just Mo Xi, but also agreed to one of the "books" in elementary school.

Just relying on your own words is enough to defeat the opponent.

Just as Xue Tingyan thought, Xue Juncai did have contempt at first. He even thought that He Xiucai was mentally ill because he took the "Disciple Regulations" test.

Who doesn’t know how to discipline disciples? This is what you need to learn when you first enter school. But when he fell silent, he realized that he was not as good as he thought.

After leaving, will you love me, or will you be hurt? You must know that this Disciple Rules is not like other articles. It can connect the past and the future and corroborate each other. If one sentence is wrong in the first sentence, the next paragraph will be wrong.

The more Xue Juncai kept quiet, the more annoyed he became. He always felt that he had made a mistake. If someone asked a question, he would naturally answer it fluently. Ke Mo is still a good word Mo!

At first, he wrote quickly, but then he became slower and slower, even to the point where he couldn't even start writing. It was obvious that he was not sure whether his memory was wrong.

On the contrary, Xue Tingyan has been writing slowly and leisurely from the beginning. At this time, he is still writing slowly and leisurely, but it can be seen that his writing style is very coherent and there is almost no pause.

In the first scene, Qiao Xiucai glanced at He Xiucai with sigh in his eyes, not hiding his surprise at all. He naturally had a clear view of the following situation, and had to admire He Xiucai's ingenuity.

He Xiucai frowned slightly. In fact, he would ask this kind of question, but he just wanted to make mistakes. This is a very subtle mentality. He never expected that he would be impressed by Qiao Xiucai, which made him quite proud and at the same time very proud of himself. I had an idea and felt very proud.

He stroked his beard and said with a slight smile: "You two little friends, don't worry, one stick of incense will give you enough time to write down."

Writing more than a thousand words with one stick of incense seems to be a bit hasty, but writing something as simple as disciple rules silently is not impossible as long as you hurry up.

But that was before. When he heard someone mention the time, Xue Juncai couldn't help but become more anxious.

In the following time, he kept looking at the incense stick, because he looked at it too often, which made his speed even slower.

"Okay, time's up."

As the words fell, Xue Tingyan made a big stroke and put down the pen in his hand.

Xue Juncai didn't move until someone came to him and discovered that he was as stiff as a stone and sweating profusely, and the paper in front of him was only half full.

Because the two of them were carrying the door on their backs, and Xue Qingshan and Yang Zhong were sitting with them at the end, they did not notice anything strange. In their minds, a piece of "Disciple Regulations" couldn't be simpler. Xue Juncai's weird appearance aroused their attention, but they still didn't expect that Xue Juncai failed to finish it

It wasn't until He Xiucai and Qiao Xiucai looked at their papers respectively and looked at each other that He Xiucai announced that Xue Tingyan had won this match.

Xue Qingshan stood up from his chair in surprise: "How is that possible?"

At the same time, there were a lot of discussions below and outside the door, and it seemed that they couldn't believe that Xue Juncai had lost. The insider looks at the door, the outsider looks at the excitement. The villagers who couldn't read a word didn't know what was being tested. They only knew that the scholar master said that Xue Juncai lost to the Xue family's son.

Xue Juncai lost to Xue Gouzi?

This, this is really surprising. You must know that Xue Juncai has always been the most outstanding young man among the young generation in Yuqing Village. No one mentions him without giving a thumbs up.

"Senior He, Senior Qiao, am I making a mistake? This is a disciple rule..."

He Xiucai signaled with his eyes, and two people stepped forward to unroll Xue Juncai and Xue Tingyan's papers, held them up, and showed them to everyone.

On one of the rice papers, the handwriting was plump, straight and beautiful. On the other piece of rice paper, the handwriting was not bad, but it started to falter. It became more scrawled toward the back, and there were even dots of ink on it.

"Xue Tingyan's words are correct, and there are no ink marks on the scroll, so it is in excellent condition. However, Xue Juncai did not finish it, and there are also mistakes and omissions, so Xue Tingyan wins this one."

"Juncai!" Xue Qingshan said in surprise, his eyes full of disbelief. He wanted to say something else, but Yang Zhong stopped him.

Xue Juncai had not raised his head until this moment, when he stiffly raised his head and glanced at Xue Tingyan with red eyes.

……

The next step is the second session, this time it’s back to normal school exam homework.

He Xiucai asked the question and the two answered.

"How can we understand the meaning of "seeking ancient theories and dispersing worries and being carefree?"

"Explore the ancient people and events, and read more wise sayings, so that you can eliminate distracting thoughts and feel at ease." Xue Juncai took a step forward and replied.

"Meng Ke was admonished, and Shi Yu was upright. The common people are moderate, so how can we interpret Lao Qian's edict?" This sentence was asked to Xue Tingyan.

He pondered for a moment and said: "Mencius advocates simplicity, while the historian Ziyu is upright. What he means is that a person must conform to the standard of moderation as much as possible. He must be diligent and humble, be cautious, and know how to advise and admonish himself."

What's the next sentence of "Save your bows and ridicule, increase your favor and resist your extreme strength?" When asked this sentence, He Xiucai did not look at either of the two people.

Xue Juncai was still in a daze, but Xue Tingyan had already replied: "It's almost a shame, Lin Gao is lucky."

“What’s the point of relying on one’s own strengths without talking about others’ shortcomings?”

This time Xue Juncai did not hesitate and said hurriedly: "Don't talk about other people's shortcomings, and don't rely on your own strengths to stop making progress." Before he finished speaking, his cheeks were heating up, whether it was from embarrassment or self-esteem. .

"Okay!" He Xiucai gave a high-five: "The answers are pretty good."

Suddenly, he said again: "Water Pavilion."

Xue Juncai was stunned for a moment, and Xue Tingyan's eyes flashed and he replied: "Shan Zhai."

Hearing this, Xue Juncai realized that He Xiucai was testing the correct answer.

Before school children enter college, in addition to the basic three hundred thousand, they also need to learn "Enlightenment of Rhythm", "Long Wen Whip Shadow", "Young Learning Qiong Lin", "Zeng Guang Xian Wen", etc.

Among them, "Enlightenment of Rhythm" and "Longwen Whip Shadow" teach students to understand the rules of rhythm and parallelism. In the process of learning the rhyme of flat, oblique and clear rhymes, I also began to understand and master the rhyme of poetry, and acquired a large number of vocabulary and ancient allusions.

Nowadays, there is a saying that few schoolchildren who have been educated cannot know pairs.

Especially such simple pairs and couplets.

After suffering two losses in a row, Xue Juncai obviously became smarter. It was almost He Xiucai who asked the question. He no longer waited to see who the question was, and answered it first, so that Xue Tingyan answered it several times in a row. None of them were able to answer successfully.

It can be seen that Xue Juncai has done well in his studies, and there are almost no questions that He Xiucai cannot answer.

"Recently, I was lamenting in my heart, and occasionally gained something, and I came up with an upper couplet, but so far I have not been able to get a suitable second couplet. Now I want to test you two. It may be a bit too difficult for you now, But it doesn't hurt to give it a try." He Xiucai withdrew his gaze and looked at Qiao Xiucai: "If Brother Qiao is interested, you can also give it a try to relieve my brother from the pain of meditation for many days."

Qiao Xiucai frowned slightly, knowing that this was He Xiucai's desire to compete.

As the saying goes, there is no first in writing and no second in martial arts. In several nearby villages, he and He Xiucai were the only ones to pass the examination. He Xiucai's reputation outside has never been obvious, and he can understand the comparison.

"Brother He, it's okay to just say it."

He Xiucai stroked his beard and said: "One person is great, two people are heaven, heaven is great and human feelings are greater than heaven."

Xue Tingyan's eyes flashed across the faces of the two people above, and then landed on Xue Juncai's face. Seeing him lowering his head in deep thought, he also lowered his head.

There was silence in the hall, and no one dared to make a sound. They couldn't figure out why they were matched with each other even though they were two junior students from the examination school.

Suddenly, a clear high-five sounded.

I saw Qiao Xiucai stroking his palms and saying: "Two trees form a forest, three trees form a forest. The forest is luxuriant, and the luxuriant trees become a forest."

Xue Tingyan secretly thought: In fact, it is difficult to say that this pair is difficult, it is not difficult to say that it is not difficult, it is not difficult to fight equally, the difficult thing is to change the characters.

He Xiucai's "One person turns into the big, two people turn into the sky", and the following two lines of antithesis have the finishing touch. However, Qiao Xiucai used two trees to form a forest and three trees to form a forest, which is excellent.

In fact, he was right. Before Qiao Xiucai, he only knew that this question was not mainly about him and Xue Juncai, so he kept silent. Now that Qiao Xiucai has met, he naturally doesn't have to worry about Zhuanmei being the first. After all, after all, it's him and Xue Juncai who won the test.

He raised his head and said: "The boy is here too."

Xue Tingyan did not hesitate, and bowed his hands and said: "Thank you, Uncle Chen, for the advice, but there are still some trivial matters at home that have not been dealt with. When everything is in order, I will go to Qingyuan Academy to study."

"Why don't you worry about being implicated and hindering your reputation?" Boss Chen asked curiously.

"How can you talk about fame and fame when you haven't entered school yet? Besides, the imperial court has always attached great importance to recruiting talents. If he is really talented, Magistrate Hu will not dare to stop him too much."

"I can't tell you have high ambitions. Well, since you dare to go, I will definitely recommend you something. Although my classmate is stiff and dull and not good at speaking, his knowledge is first-class. . I don’t dare to preach to a person who can promote people to become scholars, but it’s no problem for a scholar.”

"Then thank Uncle Chen first."

*

For several days, Xue Tingyan and Zhao'er both left early and returned late.

Someone from the Xue family asked twice and heard from Zhao'er that he should take Xue Tingyan out to get some fresh air so as not to get suffocated. The people in the big room showed contempt, and Mr. Xue couldn't help but shake his head. After that, no one asked any more questions, and most of them knew in their hearts that Xue Tingyan was destined to lose. Maybe the two children in the second room are smart, so they run around and play instead of reading.

You must know that even people as qualified as Xue Juncai read books at home for many days to prepare.

In a blink of an eye, the five-day period has arrived.

This day is no different from any other day.

Farmers are always busy in the morning. After a night, they have to take care of all the livestock and eat for the whole family. After breakfast, the men have to go to the fields, while the women do housework at home.

If there is any difference, it is that Xue Juncai had two more poached eggs in his bowl than the others at breakfast.

Due to Mr. Xue's beating some time ago, Mrs. Zhao no longer dares to hold an open fire and open a small stove for the people in the big house these days. Today, seeing that the life is unusual, she can't help it.

Originally, Xue Tingyan didn't have any. It was Yang who saw that her father-in-law looked bad, so she took the initiative to ask Zhao for two eggs and put them into his bowl.

Xue Tingyan wanted to recruit one of them, but he didn't want to, but unfortunately he couldn't defeat him.

Two people were talking to each other in a low voice for an egg. Mr. Xue above had a particularly heavy look on his face.

But this is how life is for country people. No matter how heavy your heart is, your livelihood cannot be left behind. Especially when it was time for spring plowing, Mr. Xue took his two sons to work in the fields for a while and did not come back until three o'clock in the morning.

The news about the competition between the two children of the Xue family has spread throughout Yuqing Village.

There are people who say weird things, but most people can still understand what Mr. Xue did. It's not easy for country people to make a little money. No one's money comes from the river. If there was a way, no one would do this.

Knowing that today is the official day, I let the children at home watch in the village. Seeing someone coming to Zheng Lizheng's house, these stupid kids ran into the fields, shouting from a distance, "Someone is coming to Zheng Lizheng's house." The adults stopped planting, so they picked up their hoes and hurried back.

Not long after, the large courtyard of Zheng Lizheng's house was filled with people, and more villagers were pouring in.

The courtyard was full of noise, and everyone was gossiping and talking about today's incident.

In the room, Zheng Lizheng was talking to a middle-aged man wearing a scholar's shirt and a Pingding scarf.

This person was born with a long and thin face, his complexion was a little pale, and his eyes were slightly swollen. His appearance is not that good, but his status seems to be extraordinary, and he is actually sitting in the main seat.

Zheng Lizheng could only sit aside.

There is a certain temperament in his gaze that is different from ordinary people. This person is none other than Qiao Xiucai, a well-known scholar in the surrounding villages.

Zheng Lizheng had thought about it long ago. On the Xue family side, Xue Qingshan came forward to invite someone. If it was not what he expected, the person who invited him should be his father-in-law Yang Zhong. Yang Zhong was just a boy, so he would invite a scholar.

Firstly, it seems that he is selfless, and secondly, it is also a good time to show his prestige.

"Mr. Qiao, you have tea, I will order someone to hurry you up."

Qiao Xiucai waved his hand nonchalantly: "Don't worry."

Just as he was talking, there was a noise outside, but it was Patriarch Xue who came with his people.

However, it was not Chief Xue who headed the group, but an old man who was over fifty years old. This old man was of medium height and dressed the same as Qiao Xiucai. He was also wearing a scholar's shirt and a plain scarf on his head. It was obvious that even if he was not a scholar, he was still a boy.

Sure enough, when Qiao Xiucai saw the old man, he stood up from his chair and bowed in salute.

"I never thought it was Senior He. It's so polite to be born late."

"No need to be polite, sit down quickly."

This He Xiucai is the person invited by Patriarch Xue to host this competition.

Zheng Lizheng was right. Xue Qingshan did plan to invite his father-in-law at first. Unfortunately, this matter was rejected by the Xue clan leader.

Clan Chief Xue also just realized that Xue Qingshan was so stupid. They said that one should not avoid relatives when promoting talents, but this is not the way to do it. This is not open to criticism. Since he felt that he was sure to win, there was no need to let others take advantage of the situation, so he took over the matter.

He knew in his heart that the person named Zheng would not miss the opportunity to show off, and if he came forward to invite someone, he would definitely be a scholar. He originally planned to invite Xiucai Qiao, but he arrived a step too late, so he had to delay the invitation and invite Xiucai He.

After showing courtesy to each other, the two scholars sat down on the main seat.

Zheng Lizheng and Patriarch Xue sat beside him.

"Let Brother Li Zheng worry about it."

"Don't worry, don't worry, I am the leader here. How can I not show up if something happens in the village."

After a lot of back and forth, it seems that the words are pleasant, but there is a sharp edge hidden in the words. During this period, several old men walked in from the outside, but they were several village elders from Yuqing Village. Mr. Xue, Xue Qingshan and others also came.

There is another uninvited guest, Xue Qingshan’s father-in-law Yang Zhong.

Yang Zhong is in his fifties and has a chubby body. He does not look like a scholar, but more like a fat landlord. As soon as he came in, he came close to Qiao Xiucai and He Xiucai. Unfortunately, these two scholars were reluctant to pay attention to him. They chatted with him for a few words before going to sit down aside.

Xue Qingshan sat at the end with him.

The father-in-law and son-in-law can be regarded as a good figure. The people who can sit here are all highly respected people in the village. But because of their status as a child, they can sit in the hall. You must know that even Mr. Xue does not have a seat and can only stand. next to.

"I wonder if the real master is here?" He Xiucai asked when he saw that almost everyone had arrived.

Clan Chief Xue looked at Mr. Xue, and Xue Qinghuai on the side said hurriedly: "Come on, come on."

Just as he was talking, the villagers blocking the door made way for two teenagers to walk out of the crowd.

Both these two young men were dressed in short brown clothes, and it was obvious at first glance that they came from poor families.

The leader was handsome and handsome, with a slender figure. Although his clothes were simple, he had a graceful demeanor. The one at the back is half a head shorter than the one in front. His body seems a little weak and he seems to be a little introverted. His eyes are always half lowered, as if he is afraid of strangers.

But when the two came to the hall and were scrutinized by everyone, they got some clues.

The older man's appearance is not bad, but he always pulls his sleeves intentionally or unintentionally, as if his clothes don't fit. But the younger one has been standing in a neither humble nor arrogant manner. The half-cast eyes not only do not make people feel contempt, but also feel that the younger generation should respect their elders.

Therefore, it seemed that the older one was looking directly into everyone's eyes, which was a bit too abrupt. It is good to be confident, but when younger people face their elders, a humble and respectful attitude is indispensable.

All this happened in an instant. Qiao Xiucai and He Xiucai, who were sitting in the main seats, made their initial judgments about these two young people.

"Student Xue Juncai, student Xue Tingyan, have met all the elders."

He Xiucai nodded. While Qiao Xiucai nodded, he curiously asked: "Ting Yan? Does this name have a meaning?"

Xue Tingyan was stunned for a moment, then Fang Zuo bowed and said: "崴, it means following the tradition. The student's great-great-grandfather was also a student member, and the biggest regret in his life was that he failed to pass the examination. Although my Xue family came from a poor family, However, generations have not forgotten their ancestors' wishes. While settling down and settling down, they have always been committed to making the children of the clan read, read and understand the principles of life.

"It should be noted that if you read more, you will have a sense of beauty in your heart and a spirit of poetry and calligraphy in your belly. The younger generation adheres to the last wishes of their ancestors. Although they are young and not knowledgeable, they have great ambitions and hope that one day they can continue the path traveled by their ancestors. And keep going."

These words are very light and heavy. They are too literate, or they are talking about studying, becoming an official, serving the imperial court, establishing a life for the people, and creating peace for all generations. They all seem to be deliberately showing off, which is a bit annoying. laugh. After all, they are still young boys, not even a child.

And Xue Tingyan's words exactly echoed his age and experience, and even had a hint of filial piety because of his ancestor's last wishes.

After listening to this, Qiao Xiucai stroked his beard and said, "Okay! What a man with great ambitions!"

This praise made everyone focus on Xue Tingyan.

Most people don't understand what it means. They only think that Qiao Xiucai is exaggerating about the dog of the second wife of the Xue family. Those who understand it have different ideas.

Shocked and complicated, Patriarch Xue looked at Xue Tingyan with excitement and appreciation in his eyes. He is the patriarch of the clan, and he always takes it as his great responsibility to honor the clan. Xue Tingyan's words not only praised his ancestors in front of others, but also inadvertently showed the unusualness of the Xue clan, making his face particularly glorious. Unconsciously, he straightened his back.

Some people secretly scolded him for being cunning and taking advantage of the occasion to impress others.

He still upholds the last wishes of his ancestors. Who asked him to uphold it? It's just bragging! Why couldn't I see that this guy was so clever and charming earlier?

"The elders in your family gave you this name because they have high hopes for you."

As soon as Qiao Xiucai said these words, there was another moment of embarrassment, but it was the Xue family that was embarrassed.

Just when Patriarch Xue and others were afraid that Xue Tingyan would not be sensible enough to explain the reason, he bowed again and said: "This junior will definitely study hard and live up to the expectations of his family."

Xue Qingshan couldn’t sit still.

Today, Japan is testing Xue Juncai and Xue Tingyan to see who is qualified to enter the school. The exam has not yet begun, but Qiao Xiucai's words actually contain encouragement and approval for the other party. The saying that he has been defeated before the battle is over, is nothing more than this.

He couldn't help but interject: "Seniors, can we start now?"

Qiao Xiucai then realized that he had said too much, but once he said it, he would not take it back because of his status, and Xue Qingshan's words obviously made him feel embarrassed. There was a hint of displeasure in his heart, so instead of shying away, he nodded appreciatively to Xue Tingyan, and then went to take the tea on the table and sip it.

While doing this, there was quite a hint of treating Xue Qingshan as nothing, which made his face suddenly darken. But he didn't dare to question it at all. He just smiled and sat back.

Qiao Xiucai put down the tea cup, raised his hands and said to He Xiucai: "Senior He, look at this——"

"Let's get started."

"You are the senior, and you are still the leader."

Qiao Xiucai’s polite words. He was only in his thirties and was already a scholar. There was no doubt that he would be promoted to a scholar in the future. However, He Xiucai was already old and the possibility of winning the imperial examination was extremely slim. That's why it was obvious that He Xiucai was taking the lead. However, when Qiao Xiucai spoke, He Xiucai did not interrupt him or even blame him for taking the lead.

This is the way of the imperial examination. It pays attention to qualifications and seniority, but it also values ​​potential.

A talent like Yang Zhong who fails to pass the exam will end up being a boy when he grows old. But if one can pass the examination as a scholar, even if one is over fifty years old and the other is still a weakling, he can still sit on an equal footing and interact with each other as peers.

It's like Xue Qingshan wants to call himself a junior in front of Qiao Xiucai, but Qiao Xiucai gives him a look, and he can only accept it. Although Qiao Xiucai was too courteous to He Xiucai, He Xiucai put him first in his words and deeds.

Not many people present understood these principles, but Xue Tingyan did, which made him more anxious to pass the examination.

"Where are you two at now in your studies?"

"I have finished studying the Four Books, and now I am diligently reading the Book of Songs among the Five Classics." Xue Juncai answered first.