The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

The shopkeeper nearby was hesitant to speak when he heard this. Although the young man's handwriting was good, for a nobody like him who had just started out, his calligraphy was definitely not worth ten taels of silver. Min Xi overpaid and was cheated.

The young man was just speaking in anger, and asked for ten taels of silver. In fact, he was selling the calligraphy to someone else, and it only cost one tael of silver after mounting. If it was stained with ink, it would be difficult to say anything to the customer, so he asked the shopkeeper to compensate. Unexpectedly, Min Xi did not bargain and bought it directly, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

Yun Ji did not bargain, and directly took out a silver ingot from the pouch on his waist: "Here, this is ten taels of silver."

The young man hesitated for a while, but finally reached out to take the silver and said, "This calligraphy is stained. I will write another one for you."

Min Xi didn't expect to get a buy one get one free deal, so he smiled and said, "Will this not waste your time?"

"Not really." The scholar asked, "Boss, do you have any paper and pen?"

The shopkeeper said hurriedly, "Of course we have. This way please."

The furnishings of Yunxiang Bookstore were designed according to Min Xi's requirements and were designed in the style of modern bookstores. Books on the shelves could be flipped through at will, and small stools were provided for people to sit and read. Even if they could not afford to buy books, the store would not drive them away, which provided great convenience for poor students who could not afford to buy books. Naturally, it also won an excellent reputation among the readers in the capital, so the business here was very good. There must be no shortage of people reading and buying books.

On one side is a bookstore, and on the other side is a painting store. In addition to the calligraphy and painting works displayed on the shelves hanging on the wall, there is also a large desk more than six feet long in the middle. It is convenient for people to paint at any time, and it can also be framed by framers.

The shopkeeper quickly brought out the best rice paper and Hui ink and ground the ink himself.

While waiting for the ink to be ground, Min Xi introduced himself to the young man: "My name is Min Xi, and I am the manager of Yunxiang Bookstore. This is my sworn brother Yun Ji, the owner of Yunxiang Bookstore. What happened today was our negligence, so we should compensate you instead of charging you for mounting the book. Please remember that we will compensate you for this kind of situation in the future. May I ask what your name is?"

When the young man heard this, he bowed to the two men and said, "So you are the owner and manager of Yunxiang. I have admired you two for a long time! I am Zhao Shizhen, from Wenzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province, and I am studying at the Imperial Academy."

"It's Brother Zhao! Nice to meet you!" Min Xi hurriedly returned the greeting. He felt that the name sounded familiar, but after thinking about it carefully, he couldn't remember where he had heard it.

Zhao Shizhen picked up the brush and asked, "What do you two want to write?"

Min Xi looked at Yun Ji: "Seventh Brother, do you have anything you want to write?"

Yun Ji thought for a moment and said, "No."

Min Xi said, "Brother Zhao, please write what you are best at."

Zhao Shizhen nodded and began to polish his writing. Suddenly he remembered something: "Isn't the boss's name Ji as in 'bright wind and clear moon'?"

"That's right." Min Xi answered on behalf of Yun Ji.

Zhao Shizhen then wrote the four characters "bright wind and clear moon" in a powerful and sonorous way.

Min Xi looked at it and smiled, "It's really well written! I'll frame this calligraphy and hang it in my study."

"That's right!" Yun Ji also agreed.

Zhao Shizhen clasped his fists and said, "Thank you both for your compliments. I'm sorry for the humiliation!"

Min Xi said, "That's really good! Brother Zhao, please write your signature on it. Shopkeeper, please help me frame this calligraphy and my seventh brother's painting, and send them to my home later. Use the best frame."

The shopkeeper quickly agreed: "I'll make a note of it."

Zhao Shizhen signed his name and stamped it with the seal he carried with him.

After writing, Zhao Shizhen did not leave immediately, but asked tentatively: "Did Yun Dongjia and Manager Min come back from Fulangji?"

Min Xi smiled and nodded: "That's right. So Brother Zhao has also heard about us?"

"I've heard a lot about you. I also heard that you donated a galleon to the Ming Navy. Is this true?" Zhao Shizhen asked.

"You've heard of this too?" Although their donation of the galleon was not kept secret, the fact that all the students at the Imperial College had heard of it showed that it was quite well-known in the capital.

"I've heard of it! I admire you two's noble character very much!" After saying this, Zhao Shizhen clasped his fists and bowed deeply to the two of them.

Min Xi and Yun Ji were both shocked. Min Xi hurriedly said, "Brother Zhao, why do you have to be so polite? Please stand up quickly!"

Zhao Shizhen said: "Others may not understand the significance of your donation of this galleon, but I do. I am from Wenzhou, and I grew up hearing about the Japanese pirates looting my hometown. I know the significance of this galleon to the Ming Navy. You two are so noble that you donated the galleons you got from Europe to the navy, and made great efforts to strengthen our Ming Navy. You are truly a role model for our generation."

Min Xi understood that he was a passionate young man. He said, "I don't deserve it. My brother and I just did our job."

Zhao Shizhen took out the silver ingot and gave it back to Yun Ji: "My two brothers are so kind, I cannot be a petty person. These two pieces of calligraphy are my gift to you. I don't want the silver anymore."

Yun Ji said, "How can that be possible! If we say we bought it, then of course we bought it. We have already given you the money, how can we take it back? Besides, we have already received two pieces of calligraphy, it is all voluntary, there is no coercion. Brother Zhao, just keep the money."

Min Xi was unwilling to take it back: "We are willing to spend money because we like Brother Zhao's calligraphy. If you return the money to us, it would be like we are taking advantage of Brother Zhao."

"Actually, I, Zhao, want to make friends with you two gentlemen, so I'm giving you these two pieces of calligraphy. You must take back the money," said Zhao Shizhen.

Seeing that he was sincere, Min Xi said, "How about this, Brother Zhao wants to make friends with us, so please treat us to a meal."

Zhao Shizhen's eyes lit up: "Okay! Let's go to Yunxiang Restaurant."

"it is good!"

So the three of them came out of the bookstore and headed straight for Yunxiang Restaurant. Zhao Shizhen got on their carriage and started chatting in the carriage. They learned that Zhao Shizhen was younger than them. He was 25 years old this year. He had been studying in Beijing for several years and had failed the provincial examinations many times. He was getting old and was worried about his future.

The Imperial College was a very special department in the Ming Dynasty, equivalent to the former Imperial College. Those who studied here included those who failed the imperial examination, called Jujian; there were outstanding scholars selected from all over the country, called Gongjian; there were also children of officials of the third rank and above, called Yinjian; and there were also scholars who paid money to local governments and were recommended by the governments to study, called Lijian.

Except for the candidates who can directly participate in the metropolitan examination, the other three need to participate in the provincial examination. The advantage is that the candidates from other places can take part in the provincial examination in Beijing without having to return home.

The Imperial Academy was at its peak in the early Ming Dynasty and produced many talents for the imperial court. If a student failed the imperial examination, he could be directly appointed as an official, which was a bit similar to the appointment of a juren. Although they were not high-ranking officials, they could still get a job. Therefore, it was still a good place to go.

But later, as the number of Jinshi and Juren increased, and the composition of the Imperial College students was more complicated, the reputation of the Imperial College students became worse and worse, and the chances of being appointed as officials became smaller and smaller. Therefore, those who really wanted to get ahead through studying were unwilling to send their children to the Imperial College. Children like the Tao family did not go to the Imperial College.

Zhao Shizhen did not say what kind of academy he was, but it was definitely not a juren academy, and he had not yet passed the juren exam. He felt that he was getting old, and he was still undecided whether to stay in the capital to continue studying and wait for an opportunity, or to return home.

They were not close friends, and Zhao Shizhen did not mention his own difficulties. He only touched upon his own topic and then shifted the topic to Yunxiang Restaurant.