152. 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.

Naturally, they didn't understand the clues. They just thought 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, and they certainly know how difficult it is to study in a peasant family. That's why Xue Tingyan said before that the Xue family, while settling down, never forgets to cultivate their children and grandchildren, and Qiao Xiucai would greatly appreciate it.

Because he knew that this matter seemed trivial, but in fact it was too difficult for farmers. How many people had the idea of ​​​​changing their own destiny by reading.

It can be said that those who came from a poor family in the countryside and achieved fame have all experienced great hardships. Their starting point was much lower than others, and they had to spend countless efforts to catch up with others. At the same time, they had to face all kinds of cruel competition.

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

If you succeed, the sea and 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, facing 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.

This also applies to Clan Chief Xue. If something happens in the clan that cannot be seen, it will only be within the clan. If it happens in public, it will be a bit ugly.

The two people'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."

Patriarch 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 mutual 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 what you have learned, 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.

Regardless of the meaning of the scriptures, Xue Tingyan is no match for him!

He Xiucai pinched his beard with his hand, and after thinking for a while, he said: "Zhu Zi said: There are inherent differences in the size of learning, but it is the Tao, and it is just one. This is only for children. If you don't learn it in primary school, you won't be able to learn it. Cultivating one's mind and virtue is the foundation of a university. You two should each meditate on the "Disciple Rules."

Neither of them expected 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 pen and ink. Each person has a desk 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 books is better than having books, 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 first started studying, but they just threw them away after learning them.

Except for the early days of elementary school, Mr. will not take these tests 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 in a good order? 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 using your own words is enough to outshine 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 at it as he thought.

I wonder if you will love me after you leave, 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 slowly from the beginning. At this time, he is still writing slowly and slowly, but it can be seen that his writing style is very coherent, with almost no pauses.

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

He Xiucai sighed 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 because of this, 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 on a stick of incense seems to be a bit hasty, but writing something as simple as disciples' 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 stroke of his pen and put down the pen in his hand.

Xue Juncai did not move until someone came to him and discovered that his whole body was as stiff as stone and he was sweating profusely. The piece of paper in front of him was only half full.

Because the two of them were carrying the door, and Xue Qingshan and Yang Zhong were sitting 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 was not until He Xiucai and Qiao Xiucai looked at each other after reading their papers respectively that He Xiucai announced that Xue Tingyan had won this match.

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

At the same time, there was a lot of discussion below and outside the door, as if they couldn't believe that Xue Juncai had lost. The insider looks at the door, the outsider looks at the excitement. Those 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, have you made a mistake? This is a disciple rule..."

He Xiucai signaled with his eyes, and two people stepped forward to unfold the papers of Xue Juncai and Xue Tingyan, 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 errors 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 now, and then he stiffly raised his head and glanced at Xue Tingyan with red eyes.

…

Next is the second game, this time it's back to normal school exam homework.

He Xiucai asked the question, and two people answered.

"Looking for ancient theories, how can I explain how to be carefree and 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 mediocre, so how do you 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 it means is that a person must conform to the standard of the mean as much as possible. He must be diligent and humble, be cautious, and know how to advise and admonish himself."

"Excuse me from bowing and ridicule, but favor me and increase your resistance. What's the next sentence?" 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 a shame, so Lin Gao is lucky."

"What's the point of ignoring others' shortcomings and relying on one's own strengths?"

This time Xue Juncai didn't 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 a pair.

Before school children enter college, in addition to the basic three hundred thousand, they must also 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.

There is a saying nowadays 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 failed several times in a row. The answer was successful.

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 I came up with a first couplet, but I haven't been able to get a suitable second couplet so far. Now I want to test you two. It may be too difficult for you now, but give it a try It doesn't matter." He Xiucai looked back and looked at Qiao Xiucai: "Brother Qiao, if you are interested, you can give it a try to relieve the pain of my brother's meditation for many days."

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

As the saying goes, there is no first in literature 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, no one dared to make a sound, and they couldn't figure out why they were matched even though they were two junior students from the examination school.

Suddenly, a clear high-five sounded.

He 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 poem "One person turns into greatness, two people turn into heaven", 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 can be said to be excellent.

In fact, he was also 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 coming first. After all, after all, it is he and Xue Juncai who won the test.

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

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

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

"You haven't entered school yet, how can you talk about fame? 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-rate. I don't dare. It’s okay to preach and promote people, but it’s not a problem for a scholar.”

"Then thank you Uncle Chen first."

*

For several days in a row, Xue Tingyan and Zhao'er went out early and came back late.

Someone from the Xue family asked twice, and Zhao'er said that he should take Xue Tingyan out to get some fresh air to avoid being 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 talented as Xue Juncai read books at home for many days to prepare.

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

This day was 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 was any difference, it was 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, Ms. Zhao no longer dared to open a fire and open a small stove for the people in the big house these days. Today, she saw that the days were unusual, so she couldn't help it.

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

Xue Tingyan wanted to recruit one of them, but he didn't want Zhao'er, but it was a pity that he couldn't defeat him.

Two people were fighting for an egg, and you were talking to me in a low voice below. 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 long spread throughout Yuqing Village.

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

Knowing that today is the official day, they all 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.

Soon, the large courtyard of Zheng Lizheng's house was filled with people, and more villagers were pouring in.

There was a lot of noise in the yard, and everyone was chatting 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 scarf on his head.

This person was born with a long and thin face, his complexion was a bit 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 was something unusual about his gaze. This person was 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 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: "No need to 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 was leading 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 turban 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 would be Senior He. It's so polite to be born late."

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

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

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

Patriarch Xue also just realized that Xue Qingshan was so stupid. They said that one should not avoid relatives when promoting talents, but this was not the way to do it. 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 some 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'm the leader here. I can't help but come forward if something happens in the village."

After a while of back and forth, they seemed friendly and cheerful, but there was a hidden edge in their 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 looks less like a scholar and 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.

These father-in-law and son-in-law are considered to be quite famous. 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 on the side.

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

Patriarch 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 gave way and two teenagers walked out of the crowd.

These two young men were both 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 posture 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 they are the respect that the younger generation should have for 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 asked curiously: "Ting Yan? Does this name have a meaning?"

Xue Ting was stunned for a moment, then bowed and said: "Nian, means to follow the tradition. My great-grandfather was also a student, and his biggest regret in life was that he failed to pass the imperial examination. Although my Xue family was born in poverty, we have never forgotten the wishes of our ancestors. While settling down, we have always been committed to letting the children of the family read and learn to read, so that they can understand the principles of life.

"You must know that if you read more, you will have a clear mind, and you will be elegant if you have poetry and books in your belly. The younger generation follows the wishes of the ancestors. Although I am young and not well-educated, I have great ambitions and hope that one day I can continue the path of my ancestors and keep going. "

This speech was very well-balanced. If it was too flowery, or if it was about studying, becoming an official, serving the court, establishing a life for the people, and bringing peace to the world, it would be deliberately showing off and a bit laughable. After all, they were still young boys, not even students.

And Xue Tinglan's words just matched his age and experience, and even because of the wishes of his ancestors, it had a bit of filial piety.

After listening to it, Qiao Xiucai stroked his beard and said, "Good! What a great ambition! "

This praise made everyone's eyes focus on Xue Tingxuan.

Most people didn't understand the meaning of it, and thought that Qiao Xiucai was exaggerating the dog from the second branch of the Xue family. Those who could understand it had different thoughts.

The shocked and complicated Xue clan leader looked at Xue Tingxuan with excitement and admiration. He was the clan leader, and he always took it as his great responsibility to glorify the clan. Xue Tingxuan's words not only praised the ancestors in front of others, but also inadvertently showed the unusualness of the Xue family, which made his face particularly glorious and he straightened his back unconsciously.

Some secretly cursed this boy for being cunning and taking advantage of the occasion to attract attention.

He also adhered to the wishes of his ancestors. Who made him adhere to it? It was just self-boasting! Why didn't I see that this boy was so eloquent earlier.

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

When Qiao Xiucai said this, there was another awkward moment, but it was the Xue family who were embarrassed.

Just when the Xue clan leader and others were afraid that Xue Tingxuan was ignorant and told the reason, he bowed again and said: "The junior will study hard and live up to the expectations of the family."

Xue Qingshan was a little impatient.

Today was to test Xue Juncai and Xue Tingxuan, and the competition was to see who was qualified to enter the school. The test had not yet begun, but Qiao Xiucai's words actually encouraged and agreed with the other party. The so-called defeat before the battle was revealed, it was nothing more than this.

He couldn't help but interrupt and said: "Two seniors, can we start? "

Qiao Xiucai then realized that he had said too much, but since the words were out, he would not take them back given his status, and Xue Qingshan's words obviously made him feel embarrassed. He felt slightly unhappy in his heart, so he did not avoid it, but nodded to Xue Tingyan in appreciation, and then took a sip of the tea on the table.

During his actions, there was a sense of disregarding Xue Qingshan, which made his face suddenly gloomy. But he did not dare to have any doubts at all, just smiled and sat back.

Qiao Xiucai put down the teacup, bowed to He Xiucai and said: "Senior He, look at this-"

"Then let's start. "

"You are the senior, so you should be the main one. "

Qiao Xiucai was being polite. He was only thirty years old, but he was already a scholar. He might become a juren or jinshi in the future. However, He Xiucai was already old, and the possibility of passing the imperial examination was very small. That was why He Xiucai was obviously the priority. But when Qiao Xiucai spoke, He Xiucai did not interrupt him, and did not even blame him for usurping the throne.

The way of the imperial examination was like this. It emphasized seniority and seniority, but also potential.

People like Yang Zhong who never passed the examination for a scholar would be an old student when they were old. If they can pass the exam to become a scholar, even if one is over fifty and the other is still a young man, they can still be on equal terms and interact with each other as peers.

Just like Xue Qingshan had to call himself a junior in front of Qiao Xiucai, and Qiao Xiucai gave him a cold shoulder, and he could only bear it. Although Qiao Xiucai gave way to He Xiucai too much, He Xiucai's words and deeds actually put him first.

Few people present understood these principles, but Xue Tingxian understood them, which made him more determined to pass the exam to become a scholar.

"What stage have you two reached in your studies now?"

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