This ancient road leads to Chang'an and has always been sparsely populated.
Very few people passed by because very few went to Chang'an.
Why go to Chang'an when you have nothing to do?
A tavern was built beside the road, where a lame old man worked hard to make a living.
This old man's name is Xie Zhongyuan, and he was also a scholar. Later, he had no hope of success, and because of his upright character, these aristocratic families all got together during the Five Hus and Sixteen Kingdoms period - if there are even half a good person, the sun will come out from the west.
Naturally, people like Old Man Xie can't survive in there.
Time passed by, and when I was old, I used my little savings to build a small thatched house next to this road and run a tavern to make a living.
Naturally, there was not much money to be made in this desolate place, and business was always sparse.
In the afternoon of this day, old man Xie was resting in a tavern and chatted with a man who was going to Chang'an to visit his bride.
"I think back then, Xie's ancestor was also a famous family in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and Xie Lingyun of the Xie family in Jian'an was..."
Xie Zhongyuan doesn't have many guests here, and since he doesn't have any social interactions, he naturally likes to brag about his ancestors to passers-by.
Whenever he was laughed at by passers-by, Xie Zhongyuan had already looked away and didn't care much.
This time... the man's reaction was similar.
"Old Xie Tou, you've been bragging about your awesomeness all your life, why can't you save some effort?"
"You are such a ignorant youngster. The Xie family in Jian'an back then was no worse than the Wang family in Taiyuan today. How can you be considered bragging?"
"Old man, you said that, so where are the Xie family now if they are so powerful? You don't even have a wife, so why are you bragging?"
"Hahahahahaha." Old Man Xie laughed, "Sima Yan of the Western Jin Dynasty was named Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty compared to Liu Che and had more than 10,000 wives... How many people with the compound surname Sima do you know today?"
"this……"
"So, don't watch the Wang family in Taiyuan run rampant. Hundreds of years later, it won't be the same!"
Hearing this, the man couldn't help laughing again, "You have known for hundreds of years that the Wang family in Taiyuan is at the height of its power right now. Which yamen in the court does not have members of his Wang family? You are just jealous."
"I……"
Old man Xie really has nothing to say this time. Yes, the Wang family is dominating and exploiting the people in Taiyuan City, but it will be hundreds of years before they fall...
But at this moment,
There was a sudden commotion outside the tavern.
"Xiao Liuzi, hurry up!"
"Ah Huang, you were the one who said you couldn't walk before. Now that we see the tavern, you are the fastest runner!"
"Did I see the tavern running fast?"
"I'm in a hurry to take the exam!"
"That's almost it. With your talent, it would be in vain to go to Chang'an..."
During the commotion, five or six young people were talking and laughing, running into the tavern.
The diner was stunned for a moment and didn't react.
This road goes to Chang'an. Why did so many people come here today?
And at the same time.
Old man Xie Zhongyuan also stayed where he was.
He looked at several young people blankly.
My mind went blank.
"Old man, when you serve wine, ask for the cheapest one! By the way, three taels of noodles per person!"
"Old man?"
"Old man? Are you deaf? I want some pasta."
…
This group of young people stared at the old man at the same time,
The old man also stared at the young man.
Turn a deaf ear to what the other person wants to say about eating pasta.
Instead, a pair of eyes stared at these people, the expression on the entire face was completely frozen, and with the almost haggard and aging complexion, it looked like a zombie...
It was also the first time for several young people to travel away from home, and they were all shocked. "Old man, are you... are you okay?"
"The imperial examination... what you just said was the 'imperial examination'??"
"Yeah, I'll just wait..."
"Are you going to Chang'an to take part in the imperial examination???"
"Yes, it's exactly...old man, you..."
Old man Xie took a breath and then asked again.
"The imperial examination you are talking about...but His Majesty ordered you to participate? It is...the imperial examination like the former Sui Dynasty???"
"Yes, that's right...old man, what's wrong with you?"
Xie Zhongyuan burst into tears.
He has never had any big hopes in his life. After all, studying may not necessarily lead to getting ahead and upholding the honor of his parents... It is a small probability event in the first place.
Moreover, he also knew that what he had learned was relatively complex, and there were many side techniques like Zhang Heng's and Zu Chong's. They were only useful to common people but not to wealthy families. If others didn't rely on this to become big, how could they think highly of him?
But one day in the former Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty suddenly issued an order:
Declare the world to launch the imperial examination!
Xie Zhongyuan was extremely excited when he learned about this.
Although soon, the imperial examination was canceled again for unknown reasons, and Xie Zhongyuan was greatly disappointed.
But he still had a thought in his mind, maybe the next emperor would do the same thing? He might still have a chance to be promoted.
Later, as time passed, Xie Zhongyuan still understood that this was probably impossible.
Why did the imperial examination of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty go to waste? Because after the imperial examination, people like himself could become officials. Then where would the second, sixth and fifteenth sons of the Taiyuan Wang family go to make a living? Open a tavern here like me?
These aristocratic families would be in trouble if they didn't.
But this day...
Xie Zhongyuan, who understood the reason for the disappearance of the imperial examination,
The shock in my heart was simply overwhelming.
There was obviously such great pressure and resistance, and despite the tragic example of the former Sui Dynasty, His Majesty still held the imperial examination.
In other words... I still have a chance to use what I have learned in my life??
…
Seeing that the store owner was dazed for no reason, several young people also panicked and hurriedly put Xie Zhongyuan down. They pinched the person, pinched the person, and poked the soles of the feet, which were all first aid methods in the countryside.
It's been a while...
Xie Zhongyuan finally woke up, and quickly confessed to these young people with a smile, and then quickly went to the kitchen to cook and drink.
But it still took a lot of time.
This made several young people look at each other in confusion, thinking that this is not a shady shop... At this time, they were looking at the living people in a daze, and the food was not served to the table for a long time.
The end will come up...
Several young people were stunned.
It was said that there were three taels of noodles per person, but it turned out that each person had the largest noodle bowl, at least one kilogram.
Moreover, the noodles are covered with meat, and it looks like they have just been made.
Several young people were immediately shocked, "Old man, I can't afford this... this side!"
In addition to a few young people, the man who was chatting with Xie Zhongyuan just now was also shocked.
"Old Xie Tou, what are you..."
"Hahahaha, feel free to eat, thank you for your treat today!"
"This..." One of the young men looked at Xie Zhongyuan's smiling face, then looked at the large basin on the table in front of him, and suddenly said, "Seller, are you going to Chang'an to take the imperial examination?"
"Yes, that's right! As a reward, you can just show me the way!"
