Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 73: Who is misleading the students?
"Master Shou, please don't bother with these guards. They are just rigid and stupid..."
Seeing the chubby middle-aged man smiling and leading the way while complaining about the two stubborn guards, Zhang Shou said nonchalantly, "It's their duty. After all, Princess Yongping is a princess, so they can't be too careful. I can't blame them. In fact, the princess's invitation is too valuable. Outsiders would love to have it. It's a waste to give it to me."
Having said this, without waiting for the chubby middle-aged man to respond, he suddenly asked, "By the way, I haven't asked for your name yet?"
"Well, I'm just an eunuch in the palace, how can I be noble." The chubby middle-aged man narrowed his eyes when he heard the word "honorable official". If his tone just now was just respectful and attentive, now it was a little more warm, "I'm just a small steward who runs errands for Concubine Yu, Master Shou can just call me by my name Chang Ning."
The number of eunuchs in the Ming Palace today is not much compared to the Han, Tang and Song dynasties, and even less than that of the Ming Dynasty in history, with a total of no more than 300 people. But the small number does not mean low power. Although most of the duties are assigned to female officials who must retire from the palace at the age of 40, the Silijian has continued from the founding emperor Taizu to the present. After studying in the inner book hall since childhood, they have selected the most outstanding people to serve the emperor.
What remains are the names of the managers of each palace.
However, due to their small number and the strict prohibition of the use of eunuchs in various royal palaces, eunuchs are relatively rare for the people of the Ming Dynasty. Ordinary officials basically cannot see these people, let alone among the people, who are surrounded by all kinds of demonized rumors.
However, Zhang Shou, who grew up in the countryside, had no chance to inquire about these things. Even when he was with Zhu Ying and those noble children, no one would mention eunuchs, and it was even more impossible for him to ask about this out of excessive curiosity.
Therefore, in line with the principle that this Ming Dynasty is not the same as that Ming Dynasty, he did not know whether he should call the eunuch "gonggong" these days, so he simply said politely: "It turns out to be Chief Steward Chang, thank you for making such a trip just now."
"No trouble, no trouble." Chang Ning smiled, as if he was very satisfied with Zhang Shou's address, and then explained, "Mr. Shou, don't worry. Not everyone who is invited has to come down to write essays. You are different from those ordinary scholars. You can just sit and listen and make your own judgments."
At this time, they were already approaching the meeting place downstairs in Yuehua Building. Zhang Shou was accompanied by Chang Ning, which made him conspicuous. In addition, Deng Xiaodai and Qi Liang followed closely behind him like followers, and Ah Liu had a calm expression. Naturally, many people looked at him.
The scholars who were lucky enough to be invited here naturally had the confidence that they would become famous overnight. In addition, they were not allowed to bring followers. Even if some of them belonged to the same book club or poetry club, they would definitely not want to be subordinate to others in such occasions. Therefore, some people inevitably felt that the three people behind Zhang Shou were particularly eye-catching.
After hearing Chang Ning's words clearly, those who knew him couldn't help but exchange glances with each other in groups of three or four.
He was actually invited to judge. Could he be some newly rising selector? No, judging from his age, he doesn't look like a selector who can comment on the art and contemporary writings of scholars? Then, which famous selector's direct descendant is he?
But is there such a selected family in the capital city that even Princess Yongping needs to show respect to its children?
Or maybe he is the disciple of some great scholar?
Could it be that Princess Yongping, who is known for only valuing talent and not appearance, actually... looks at the face?
Zhang Shou just ignored those piercing gazes and said with a sneer, "I know nothing about contemporary literature, and I have never planned to take the imperial examination. I am a student who has just passed the county and prefectural examinations, so I am better than a teacher. Please tell Princess Yongping that I only brought my eyes and ears today, so don't mention the word judgment anymore."
Unexpectedly, Zhang Shou insisted that he did not understand contemporary literature again, and Qi Liang could not help but murmur inwardly. The next moment, he saw the chubby Chang Chang, the chief steward in front of him, suddenly turned around and glanced at him, and even nodded with a smile.
He couldn't help but feel a little at a loss. When Chang Ning turned around, he realized that Zhang Shou had not specifically told anyone who was who among him, Deng Xiaodai and Ah Liu. How did this Manager Chang know who he was?
However, the next moment, he had no time to think about these things, because Zhang Shou's voice was quite loud and people from all directions heard it. All of a sudden, the gazes shot at him became real, many of which were focused on him, and some of them were clearly malicious.
Qi Liang, who was experiencing such a big scene for the first time, felt his scalp tingling immediately, until Deng Xiaodai beside him muttered very calmly: "What are you afraid of? Just treat those guys as clay sculptures and wooden statues!"
Seeing Qi Liang looking at him in surprise, Deng Xiaodai chuckled and said, "Thinking back to when I was taken away by Wang Fuyin and Ge Taishi one after another, everyone in the government office looked at me like this. I was very scared at first, but after a while, I got used to it and didn't take it seriously. These guys can only spread bad words at most, can they bite you?"
"But I ranked seventh in the provincial exam. Isn't there already some people criticizing me?"
"What's the big deal? Even if the sky falls, there are tall people like Wang Fuyin to hold it up!"
Zhang Shou heard that the two guys behind him actually started talking nonsense, and he couldn't help but feel angry and amused. But when he found that Qi Liang, who was stiff at the beginning, had relaxed completely, he could only sigh that the previously dull Deng Xiaodai had become slick and resilient after arriving at the government office.
However, seeing that he had just clearly refused, Chang Ning just laughed and refused to give a clear answer. He stopped and said calmly: "If Chang Zongguan is unwilling, then I can only ask Ah Liu to meet with the Lady of Zhao. For me, I have a basic understanding of the ten classics, and I can only be considered to have a rough understanding of classics and history at best. I know nothing about contemporary literature. I can listen to the fun, but I won't comment on it."
"So the famous Ge's disciple, Mr. Zhang, is also afraid of being laughed at by the Fang family. If that's the case, aren't you afraid of misleading the students by teaching them to take the imperial examinations?"
Hearing this sudden irony, Zhang Shou didn't even raise his eyes, let alone look in the direction of the voice. Without turning his head, he smiled at Qi Liang behind him and said, "Xiao Qi, listen, people think you've been delayed by me! Do you want to find a famous teacher? In this way, maybe no one will bother you about your ranking in the provincial examination."
Qi Liang was not as calm as Zhang Shou. He looked at the person who was speaking and saw that he was a middle-aged man with a rat-like beard. The look in his eyes when he looked at him was still full of arrogance. He was so angry that he said without thinking: "Once a teacher, always a father. If it weren't for you, young master, I wouldn't be able to continue my studies, and I wouldn't even be able to make a living. You should say that I am misleading my students... Humph!"
It was not known whether it was because of Deng Xiaodai's previous words that instigated him, or because of Zhang Shou's joke that aroused his anger, but at this moment, Qi Liang actually treated the group of people in front of him as the noble children in Cuiyun Room whom he was used to scolding!
At that moment, Qi Liang, who had been used to being the eldest senior brother for days, held his head high and said, "Speaking of misleading students, my father read countless collections of contemporary literature, but he still failed every exam. If this is not misleading students, what is it? It was only after meeting Master Ge this time that I finally understood what the saying 'a leaf blocks the view of the mountain' really means!"
At this point, Zhang Shou's explanation to him about the reason why Ge Yong had given him a list of books came back to his mind so clearly that when he recounted it, he unknowingly brought out Zhang Shou's earnest tone.
However, he instinctively used the opening line that Cui Yun had often used in the past few days: "Master Ge said..."
"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. If you only read books but not travel, you have to pick the right books to read. Reading ten thousand volumes of contemporary literature is not as good as reading a hundred volumes of famous writers' articles, or reading ten volumes of classics and history! Studying and discussing contemporary literature every day as if it were a treasure is not reading, it is wasting money!"
Seeing Qi Liang showing the aura of a senior brother at this moment, Zhang Shou couldn't help but laugh or cry.
You are so good, Qi Liang, you actually used my words to directly fire a map cannon and even put the blame on Ge Yong. You don’t learn the good things from you, but only learn the bad things from me!
But what he said is true. It is like in later generations studying excellent essays every day, and becoming proud of them, becoming obsessed with them. It is strange that one can write truly outstanding essays and become a writer in this way!
