The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

After the waiter finished speaking, he led the group around the huge screen at the door and into the inner hall. Zhang Pingan and his group then saw that there were countless poems and paintings hanging on the walls of the first-floor lobby. Some of the papers had turned yellow, and it was obvious that they had been hanging there for quite some time.

Other guests who came to eat were not in a hurry to write immediately, but were admiring and reviewing the masterpieces left by others on the three walls of the lobby.

This was a rare opportunity to see the world. Zhang Ping'an, Master Yang and Jiang Yaozu were not in a hurry to start writing. After instructing the waiter, they also began to appreciate it hesitantly.

"This is actually the calligraphy of Prime Minister Yan!" Zhang Ping'an said, pointing to a huge four-link poem in the center of the hall.

Master Yang carefully looked at the seal at the end and nodded, saying, "This is the seal of Prime Minister Yan. It should have been left behind when he was the governor of Huguang more than ten years ago."

Jiang Yaozu also came closer to take a look and said, "No wonder this poem is so big, the tray can't fit on it. It shows that Wangjiang Tower also serves people according to their taste."

The waiter waiting nearby secretly rolled his eyes when he heard this, knowing that these people were just country bumpkins. Although he still smiled on the surface, he felt very disdainful in his heart.

After admiring the exhibition, the three of them found that there were indeed many famous people who had left their calligraphy here, including some with great talent, and their works were hung in very conspicuous places, while those who were not famous could only hang their works at the back.

With so many celebrities and poets as its background, it’s no wonder that Wangjianglou is so successful in business.

After appreciating the poem, the three of them each wrote a poem. When they were in the academy before, Zhang Ping'an knew that Master Yang was literate. Since he came to Wangjiang Tower for dinner, he must have made some preparations. However, he was still amazed by Master Yang's four-line poem, which was much better than he had imagined.

"I didn't expect that Master Yang is both talented in literature and martial arts, and you write very good poems too," Zhang Ping'an praised.

Master Yang smiled without saying anything. When he went up the stairs, he turned his head and whispered, "Lin Junhui prepared this for me in advance, hahahaha"!

Zhang Pingan and Jiang Yaozu laughed when they heard this.

Master Yang saw the two men's expressions and said unhappily, "What are you looking at? I didn't ask him to prepare this for me. He wrote it himself and I was too lazy to think about it, so I just went along with it. Besides, even if he didn't write it for me, I can write poems myself. After all, I was once a martial arts student!"

"Wu Tongsheng?" Zhang Pingan asked in surprise. This word was too new to him.

"Why haven't I heard of any martial arts exams in our county?" Jiang Yaozu wondered.

Master Yang rolled his eyes and sneered, "You are so ignorant! That's why you are so narrow-minded. You only know how to study hard in the academy every day!"

"I haven't seen any academy in our county that recruits students to take the martial arts examination, and there is no one around here who wants to learn martial arts to take the examination. The information is too blocked, and I really don't understand this aspect," Zhang Pingan said sincerely.

He really didn't know much about the martial arts examination. The only person around him who had something to do with martial arts was probably Xiao Yifei, but he never mentioned that he wanted to take the martial arts examination in the future.

Master Yang's eyes darkened and he sighed, "The country has been at peace for a long time, and the court values ​​civil officials over military officials. In addition, our Huguang region is a land of fish and rice, and the people are rich. This situation of valuing civil officials over military officials is even more serious. Many people don't even know that there is a military examination. Over time, most of the people taking the military examination are now the sons of those whose families have been military officers for generations."

Zhang Pingan nodded, probably understanding it, and asked curiously: "How is the martial arts exam conducted? What are the main subjects?"

"It's the same as your imperial examination. After passing the county examination, the prefectural examination and the academy examination, you will become a military scholar. The examination is divided into two parts: military examination and civil examination. The military examination mainly tests seven items. The first is long-distance archery on foot; the second is horse archery, which is archery on horseback; the third is horse spear, which is using a spear to stab while riding a horse; the fourth is foot shooting, which is shooting arrows through armor; the fifth is lifting weights; the sixth is carrying weights, which is walking twenty steps with a heavy object on the back; the seventh is talent and appearance, which is being over six feet tall and speaking fluently. The civil examination mainly tests the "Seven Military Classics" and military strategies." Master Yang replied.

After saying this, he sighed again, "Besides the fact that the emphasis is placed on literature over martial arts, many people who take the martial arts exams don't meet the basic physical requirements, which screens out a large number of people. Among the remaining people, poor children can't take the exam, and rich families are unwilling to endure the hardship. It was by chance that I learned to read in the military camp. After returning from injury, I met Master Lin who guided me. That's how I was able to take the martial arts exam, won the title of Wu Tongsheng, and was arranged to be a martial arts tutor in our academy."

"Why can't poor children pass the exam?" Jiang Yaozu asked puzzledly.

Zhang Ping'an understood after a little thought and explained, "Not to mention that one has to be literate to take the military examination, which means one has to go to a private school and spend a lot of money on tuition. Among the remaining seven items in the military examination, the first three are horse riding and archery. Ordinary people don't have the opportunity to learn these. In comparison, it is easier for ordinary people to succeed in the imperial examination."

Master Yang nodded and sighed: "Yes!"

Jiang Yaozu also had an expression of sudden enlightenment on his face: "So that's how it is!"

"But there is one advantage of taking the military examination. The written examination is relatively simple, and there are fewer people taking the examination, so the chances of passing the exam are greater. Once you have achieved the title, you can get a decent job in the county. I injured my leg in the military camp at that time, so I failed the skipping and carrying heavy loads tests in the academy examination and failed the exam. Otherwise, I should have gotten the title of a martial arts scholar, which would have exempted me from corvée and taxes, and I wouldn't have to kneel before officials," Master Yang said regretfully.

"Do martial arts scholars and regular scholars receive the same treatment?" Jiang Yaozu asked in surprise.

This time, Master Yang rolled his eyes openly and scolded, "We're all scholars, why are we treated differently? Those who can pass the military examination are also capable people, right? They are both civil and military, and are the pillars of the country. They are much better than you weaklings who only know how to study!"

Jiang Yaozu shrank his neck and stopped talking after being scolded.

Zhang Ping'an was scolded as well and didn't dare to say anything. Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind and he said excitedly: "If I take the military examination, then my brother-in-law should be able to do it. His physique is perfect for it!"

Master Yang shook his head and said, "Impossible. His stutter is too severe. He can be an ordinary soldier, but it is unrealistic for him to take the imperial examination."

Could this be God's will, destined to be my brother-in-law's chance?!

Zhang Ping suppressed his excitement and said with a smile, "My eldest brother-in-law happened to meet a famous doctor in the provincial capital. His stuttering has been cured a lot. He is still taking medicine. I believe that with diligent practice, speaking normally will not be a problem. As for reading and writing, it is not difficult either. My eldest brother-in-law is only in his early twenties and in the prime of his life. He can definitely go to school for a few years and learn to recognize a few words."

"Oh? What a coincidence," Master Yang raised his eyebrows.

Zhang Pingan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry: "It's true, you will know when you go back just ask, would I lie to you?"

"I haven't really paid attention to it these two days. I'll ask when I get back. If stuttering can really be cured, maybe he can really take the martial arts examination in the future. It's also a way out, much better than slaughtering pigs and selling meat. Otherwise, it would be a waste of his big physique," Master Yang said with a smile.

As soon as the words fell, they arrived at the third floor, where Lin Junhui and Tan Yaoqi were sitting by the window drinking tea.