The Master of Academic Affairs is the Wenhua Academy where Chenshi arrived.
As soon as he and Magistrate Zuo entered the academy, they heard the students reciting.
The academic master did not rush to meet the students, but first chatted with the mountain leader for a few words.
"I heard that the academy accommodates many students from poor families. If they excel in their studies, they can even be exempted from studying, right?"
The mountain chief said respectfully: "There is indeed such a measure."
The academic master praised: "This is a good move. I think if there was such an academy in my hometown back then, I wouldn't have wasted several years before I could enter school."
County Magistrate Zuo knew that this scholar-gentleman also came from a poor background and relied entirely on his mother's embroidery skills to be able to afford education. Of course, he endured a lot of hardships, so he was deeply moved when he heard about Wenhua College's move. .
He couldn't help but wink at the mountain leader.
The mountain director is a smart man and quickly said: "I proposed this measure back then because I wanted to give those poor students a chance to study. It seems that these students from poor backgrounds are indeed much more advanced than the average person."
Since the Master of Academic Affairs was interested in students from poor families, the director of the mountain appointed a few people at the right time and said a few more words when it came to the Wei Banquet.
"This student was recommended by Master Li. I heard that he used to work as a bookkeeper in a restaurant to make a living. Even when he was working as a bookkeeper, he continued to study. Later, he entered the academy and studied hard every day."
When the mountain chief said this, he suddenly remembered something, "By the way, this person is quite famous in the county and is very popular."
"Why is this?" Master Xuezheng asked.
The mountain chief smiled and said: "First, because he has a good character and many people have received favors from him. Second, it is because of Li Tiezui's words."
He was afraid that the academic master would not know who Li Tiezui was, so he explained: "Li Tiezui is a famous fortune teller in our county. He once met this Wei Yan and said that this boy has a noble life and will be successful in the future. A meteoric rise.”
Master Xuezheng said, somewhat disbelieving the words of these charlatans.
Magistrate Zuo said from the side: "Speaking of this Li Tiezui, he does have some skills. He once said that my heirs will be difficult, and this is not bad."
Master Xuezheng knew about Magistrate Zuo's family affairs. Since Magistrate Zuo said that Li Tiezui was quite capable, he might not be distrustful of his words.
"Now that we've talked about it, I want to meet this Wei Yan."
Master Xuezheng, accompanied by the county magistrate and the mountain chief, soon met Wei Yan.
Wei Yan sat in the middle of the school. Because of his handsome and graceful life and elegant temperament, people noticed him at a glance.
Master Xuezheng couldn't help but nodded in his heart. No wonder Li Tiezui said that, this Wei Yan is indeed outstanding in appearance, and he has a scholarly air all over his body. Such a person should indeed have a noble life.
However, the academic master was thoughtful and did not want to arouse the jealousy of others because of his own preferences, so he lightly nodded to a few people and tested their knowledge separately.
This includes Yuan Ziwen, whose knowledge is outstanding and he has made sufficient preparations to answer questions in a clear and logical manner.
Master Xuezheng couldn't help but nodded and spoke a few words of praise.
After Yuan Ziwen sat down, he couldn't calm down for a long time. He knew that among the people here, only Wei Yan was more knowledgeable than him, so he kept worrying about it, hoping that Master Xuezheng would not notice Wei Yan.
He was afraid that as soon as Wei Yan opened his mouth, his own glory and halo would be taken away by him again.
Fortunately, Master Xuezheng never called Wei Yan, and Yuan Ziwen breathed a sigh of relief.
After Master Xuezheng left, Yuan Ziwen was surrounded by everyone. The students were envious that he had been praised by Master Xuezheng, and they all clamored for him to treat him.
Yuan Ziwen happily agreed and turned around to talk to Wei Yan and Qu Huan, but did not see Wei Yan.
"Where did Brother Wei go?"
Qu Huan yawned lazily, "Master Li just sent someone away."
Hearing that Master Li sent someone to leave, Yuan Ziwen didn't say anything, and said with a smile on his face: "I'm entertaining guests at Dongshun Restaurant today, do you want to go?"
Qu Huan said: "Go, why don't you go? It's a rare treat for you, so of course I want to appreciate it."
He knew in his heart the reason for Yuan Ziwen's treat, but to him, Yuan Ziwen and Wei Yan were both brothers, and it was the same whether they could win the favor of the academic master.
Wei Yan actually thought the same way. He didn't care about temporary gains and losses. This time Yuan Ziwen was in the spotlight, and he was very happy for him.
When Master Li sent someone to call him, Wei Yan said something to Qu Huan and followed the servant away.
The handyman did not take him to Master Li's quiet room in the academy, but took him to a very quiet courtyard.
"Students have met Master Xuezheng." When Wei Yan saw Master Xuezheng, he realized that it was not Master Li who wanted to see him, but the Master Xuezheng who wanted to see him.
Master Xuezheng looked at him and nodded: "I heard from the mountain chief that your homework is very solid. Not only can you memorize the Four Books and Five Classics, but you also have your own opinions, right?"
Wei Yan said: "I dare not express my opinion, it is just a student's experience."
Master Xuezheng said: "Then I will test you. I will say one sentence, and you will say the next sentence, plus your experience."
After Master Xuezheng finished speaking, he came up with a sentence from "The Doctrine of the Mean".
Wei Yan quickly recited the next sentence, and then explained it in detail according to his own understanding.
Master Xuezheng did not comment, but quoted another sentence from "Mencius".
After Wei Yan finished his answer, when Master Xuezheng spoke again, he spoke much faster.
The two of them asked questions and answered questions quickly. No matter whether the Master of Academic Affairs was taking the exam on the Four Books or the Five Classics, Wei Yan could always say the next sentence quickly and explain it very fluently.
Master Xuezheng finally stopped asking and looked at him with admiration, "Yes, it seems that what the mountain chief said is not false. Your homework is indeed very solid. It will be easy for you to be the head of the case in the future.
"
"Your Excellency, you are exaggerating." Wei Yan said humbly as he didn't expect him to tell the origin of the case.
Master Xuezheng just smiled and took off a jade pendant from his body, "This is a congratulatory gift given to me by the local county master when I passed the national examination when I was twenty-five years old. I give it to you in the hope that I can succeed in the future."
See you in the capital."
Wei Yan declined: "This jade pendant is too valuable, and students dare not accept it."
"Just accept it." Master Xuezheng smiled and said, "If you are really successful in the future, when you go to the capital to take the examination, you can use this jade pendant to look for me in the Hanlin Academy. If you don't have a token, we will
How can we meet again?"
Master Xuezheng said so, so Wei Yan accepted the jade pendant.
Master Xuezheng encouraged him a few more words, "Your knowledge is solid enough, but when it comes to examinations for talents and candidates, solid knowledge is not enough. If you have time, you can read more history books. You can use it when you take the provincial examination and the joint examination in the future."
Worth it."
When he said this, he suddenly remembered that Wei Yan's family was poor and he might not be able to buy history books, so he said: "I came in a hurry this time and didn't bring many books. How about this? I'll tell Magistrate Zuo and let him lend you some history books.
.”
It was almost noon when Wei Yan left the courtyard.
Surrounded by everyone, Yuan Ziwen was about to leave for Dongshun Restaurant. Qu Huan saw Wei Yan with sharp eyes and immediately called him over.
Yuan Ziwen also said: "Brother Wei, where have you been? I am treating you today and you are here too."
Wei Yan was still thinking about what Master Xuezheng said when he was involuntarily pulled over by Qu Huan.