A desk and a pile of paperwork are basically what Zhou Mingxuan keeps with him every day.

There is no other way. The patriarch is "many things to do" all day long and has no time to spare.

But in Zhou Bai's view, this was a habit that Zhou Mingxuan had honed as a clerk when he was young. As the leader of a clan, how could he control the big rudder if he was distracted by trivial matters.

Of course, Zhou Bai, who has no right to speak now, will not say much, but just stands aside and waits quietly.

After a cup of tea, Zhou Mingxuan stopped writing. He gently pulled up a rope beside the table, and immediately the deacon came in and took out the things he had instructed to handle.

Zhou Bai has good eyesight now and saw a few lines of words. What he just commanded was the arrangement document for the specific matters of a certain manor?

"You are very patient. Master Clan School also praised your study of the Four Books and Five Classics. I didn't expect that Qifang would produce such a talent as you, which is better than this batch of Clan High School candidates." Before Zhou Bai could complain in his heart, Zhou Mingxuan

Already spoke out.

"The patriarch has given you too much praise." Zhou Bai bowed and saluted.

Zhou Mingxuan stood up, waved his hand and said: "I haven't finished yet. You are anxious too. You are too anxious about fame and wealth. Why rush to end your career at the age of fifteen? You can achieve the title of scholar in one fell swoop after just three years of hard work."

Urgent? He was indeed anxious. He was anxious that his life was missing and his life could not be saved.

Not to mention the great catastrophe a few years later, where he is urgently needed to gain fame and accumulate strength.

But Zhou Bai couldn't speak directly, so he could only express his confidence, so he raised his hands and said without being humble or arrogant: "The saint is determined to learn in his fifteenth year. Although Bai does not dare to compare himself to the previous sages, he has tied up his hair and should pursue something."

After carrying out the saint, Zhou Mingxuan could say nothing, but he was obviously a lot colder. He probably felt that Zhou Bai was stubborn and did not listen to the advice of his elders.

"Well, this is your mutual and recognizable insurance policy. The county government will use this as a proof to issue you a test license." Zhou Mingxuan took out a stack of documents and took out two from the bottom and handed them to Zhou Bai.

Even Zhou Mingxuan did not avoid suspicion, but spread these documents and deeds on the table for Zhou Bai to browse.

Mutual insurance is to arrange for five people to take the exam together, and the five students to write the insurance policy for each other, and the five cheaters will sit together.

To sign an insurance policy, you need to ask a resident of the county to sign an insurance policy, which is called a pledge of insurance.

It is guaranteed that he will not impersonate his nationality, conceal his funeral, use a substitute, or assume a false name, and that his wealth will be clean and he will not commit any crimes.

Originally, when the imperial examination first came into being, only the descendants of non-prostitutes and high-ranking officials could apply for the examination. Later, a great scholar from a bad background rose to heaven and became an official, so this provision was abolished.

Otherwise, it’s a matter of debate whether Zhou Mingxuan, the clerk, dares to be regarded as such. After all, the clerk is not a good official, and he is also a bad official in a strict sense.

Zhou Bai didn't shy away from it. He checked the mutual agreement and the guarantee policy in front of Zhou Mingxuan. All the information on it was correct, even the insurance company he hired was the same.

There is no difference in information, but Zhou Bai's two insurance policies lack one thing compared to other people's insurance policies.

There are red circles on the header of other people's policy pages, but only Zhou Bai's is empty. Among them, Sanfang Zhou Heyun has two red circles.

Zhou Mingxuan originally thought that Zhou Bai would question him suspiciously, but Zhou Bai just bowed and thanked him, then took the insurance policy and left.

In his previous life, Zhou Bai himself had two red circles, but he didn't know what they were.

The red circle at the top of the insurance policy page originated from the examination papers marked by imperial examination examiners.

If the answer is good, the examiner will draw a red circle and pass it to the next examiner for review. At the end of the marking, the candidates will be ranked according to the number of red circles.

Later, the mortal court added luck screening to select scholars, and families at all levels learned to use red circles to indicate the blessing of luck.

Generally speaking, only families above the county tycoon are qualified to do this. In recent years, families close to the county tycoon, such as the Zhou family, have also imitated it.

However, the red circle of the Zhou family has very little effect and is only used as a symbol.

The red circles are drawn by the patriarch himself, and each red circle will be accompanied by the family's fortune. It's just that the real county patriarch can tell the family's fortune by drawing it, but Zhou Mingxuan does not count it after drawing it.

Only the blessings from the ancestors once every three years can truly bless the family fortunes on the candidates for screening and use by the court.

The county tycoon family can divide the fortune of the clan and bless the clan members by the clan leader every year, while the Zhou family has a cycle of three years. Zhou Mingxuan's red circle is really just a circle, and the control of the clan's destiny is entirely controlled by the ancestors.

A wealthy family in the county is likely to produce a scholar every year, while for a rural family, it is only possible in three or five years. This is why there is such a big gap between family classes.

Zhou Bai knew that the Xiang people were not in the upper echelons of society in Daxu, and only the county tycoons who had control over some ethnic groups truly entered the gentry threshold.

But how difficult it is for a county magnate. The ancestors of the Zhou family were as diligent as Zhou Mingxuan, but in the end they could only use the "red circle" to show the Zhou family's ability to be close to a county magnate.

Little did they know that this approach was just a painting of a tiger instead of a dog, and it would be ridiculed by the magnates of Pingcang County.

Zhou Bai strode out of the room and happened to hear Zhou Rui arguing with others.

They all looked like candidates for this county examination. Two young people from the direct lineage and several branch lineages were surrounded by one person. They were wearing colorful felt crane cloaks and moiré ribbons, but their eyebrows were a bit wild and their behavior was quite frivolous.

.

This is none other than Zhou Chang's son Zhou Heyun, the direct descendant of the younger generation who has the greatest hope of gaining fame.

If Zhou Bai had enough energy, he might be disappointed, but he didn't even look at Zhou Mingxuan, so how could he look at Zhou He's luck.

"Zhou Heyun, do you think you will definitely pass the exam? Why are you so arrogant here?"

"What do you know? Young Master Yun is the person who has received the most blessings from the ancestors this time, even if he is a scholar."

"Humph, the imperial examination is not just about luck. Even aristocratic families can have failed candidates, and peasant families can also produce masters of examinations!"

"How many people are there like this? Is it you Zhou Rui?"

"You, you...!" Zhou Rui finally found it difficult to argue with other scholars, and his face turned red with anger.

Zhou Bai shook his head gently, walked forward and said, "I'm afraid the clan leader won't like it if he is so frivolous before he has achieved any fame."

As soon as these words came out, everyone felt a chill in their hearts, and they all shut up and restrained themselves. Even if they passed the examination as a child student, without the support of the clan leader, it would be difficult to continue.

Only Zhou Heyun felt that he had been humiliated. When he passed by Zhou Bai, he said softly and provocatively: "If you don't have family luck, you still want to pass the exam. In the next life, I will remember Zhou Datian."

It turns out that the third-room relationship that Zhou Datian clung to was none other than this young master.

Zhou Bai ignored Zhou Heyun's words and pulled Zhou Rui away without even turning his head.

Zhou Heyun became even more angry, with a cold expression on his face, and he didn't know if he was cursing silently.

Walking out of the Qunshi Hall, Zhou Rui said worriedly: "That boy is usually not bad at knowledge. In addition, he has received the greatest blessing this time. It will not be a problem to pass the examination as a boy student. Even if he is a scholar, he has a 30% chance."

"Why, we are all members of the Zhou family, so what if I am a scholar? Even if I am the head of the family, I will be assigned to a manor at most. Pastoral happiness is also what a great Confucian seeks." Zhou Bai's words were natural and full of openness.

Zhou Rui looked at Zhou Bai carefully and felt that his childhood friend had changed a lot, and for a while he stopped refuting.
Chapter completed!