allendalepharm Chapter 262: First Test, the Heart of Recruiting
Chapter 262: First Test, the Heart of Recruiting
"Hey!" Master Jiang responded, and then said: "It doesn't matter to me, after all, I am old, and I no longer want to take the imperial examination and become an official in my lifetime. I just want to teach and educate people."
"You will be the enlightenment mentor of your students throughout your life." Jiang Youzhen was moved. In fact, although Mr. Jiang had limited knowledge, he was definitely a teacher with good professional ethics and he took good care of her on weekdays.
Master Jiang was somewhat moved when he heard this. Jiang Youzhen would surely rise to prominence in the future. Now that she was on an equal footing with him, she still respected him. Her character was still precious.
"May I ask if you are Mr. Jiang Youzhen?"
As the three were talking, a yamen runner ran over quickly and bowed to Jiang Youzhen.
"It's me!" Jiang Youzhen nodded.
"My master invites you to come over for a chat!"
Mr. Jiang and Wen Ruyu looked at each other. Could it be the county magistrate?
"Please ask my brother to lead the way." Jiang Youzhen knew that the magistrate would definitely look for her. After all, there was the relationship between the Fourth Prince and Tong Huaian. She didn't believe that Lin Jiuan didn't recognize her.
After Jiang Youzhen left, Wen Ruyu asked in confusion, "Junior brother, do you know the county magistrate?"
"Your junior sister is the top scorer in Xian County, so it is reasonable for the magistrate to meet her. Besides, your junior sister is so outstanding, it is normal for the magistrate to want to meet her. Anyway, she will not take part in the next exam, so there is no suspicion of cheating."
Wen Ruyu nodded, thinking it made sense.
Jiang Youzhen followed the bailiff to the backyard of the county government office, passing through the corridor and walking for a long time. On the way, there were small bridges, flowing water, and clusters of flowers. Jiang Youzhen then remembered that he had been here last time. This was Lin Jiuan's backyard.
"This is Mr. Jiang. Your Excellency wants to see him. Please inform him." The bailiff stopped in front of a moon-shaped gate and said to a man who looked like a manager standing at the door.
"Thank you. No need to pass on the message. Your Excellency has been waiting for a long time."
This was Jiang Youzhen's second time coming to the backyard of the county government office. The previous time, she came with Tong Huaian, but this time, she came for herself.
"Sir, Young Master Jiang is here." The steward brought Jiang Youzhen to a study. The last time Jiang Youzhen came here, he couldn't even enter the study.
It seems that people still need to have status and ability, otherwise they can never reach the core of society.
"Please let him in." A slightly majestic voice sounded.
As soon as Jiang Youzhen entered, he saw Lin Jiuan looking at him with a smile on his face.
"I am Jiang Youzhen, a junior, and I am here to pay my respects to the magistrate!" Jiang Youzhen quickly bowed deeply.
When Lin Jiuan heard Jiang Youzhen call himself a junior and not a student, he raised his eyebrows, and then the smile on his face became even brighter.
"Since we last met, Master Jiang has changed a lot. I almost couldn't recognize him. No wonder the Fourth Master and Master Tong think so highly of you. You are indeed a handsome man with great talent. Those two essays made all the examiners excited. They are really excellent works, rarely seen."
Jiang Youzhen was a little embarrassed by the compliment, "You are too kind. I just followed my heart. Maybe it was what the adults thought, so it resonated with the students, and that's why I was deeply touched!"
Lin Jiuan was surprised. When he met Jiang Youzhen before, this boy was a farmer who followed Tong Huaian. Although he looked good, he was taciturn and looked inconspicuous.
But he didn't expect that this time, Jiang Youzhen gave him a completely different feeling. Like a sharp blade that has just been tested, he should not be underestimated.
It must be said that after meeting again, he had a new respect for Jiang Youzhen. Judging from what he just said, it didn't sound like something a young man would say.
He was not complacent or arrogant, but rather very humble. This one sentence praised him and other teachers very highly.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought that the person who said this was a veteran in the officialdom. Especially when they met last time, this guy knew that he was not the host, so he restrained his edge and did not steal the show, which was even more rare.
This made him even more determined to recruit people.
"You don't have to be too modest. Your talent deserves such praise. After the exam is over, the top three essays will be posted so that everyone can read your masterpiece. Let them see that it is not enough to just take the middle way."
How should I answer this? Jiang Youzhen could only smile awkwardly, "I heard that there are many candidates with outstanding literary talent in this county exam. I am just showing off my skills in front of an expert."
"Hey~ Being modest is a good thing, but underestimating yourself is not." Lin Jiuan waved his hand, and then said: "But I am curious, why are you so bold? With your talent, you can write some flowery articles and be outstanding, why are you so pragmatic? Aren't you afraid of failing?"
Lin Jiuan didn't dare to speak out of turn. He couldn't ask, "Why aren't you afraid of offending the court or the emperor?" He could only hint at it.
"I have always thought that the purpose of the imperial examination is to select talented people to serve the court, to eat the emperor's salary, to share the emperor's worries, to solve the emperor's problems, and to seek the welfare of the people of the world. If it is just general talk but not practical, then what is the meaning of the imperial examination?"
"Good!" Lin Jiuan slapped the desk excitedly, "Well said!"
If the court was full of people like Jiang Youzhen, why would the emperor be so disappointed? Those parasites relied on their family background to muddle through, and did not do their job. And those children from poor families had ambitions but nowhere to display them.
In recent years, the entrenched aristocratic families in the court have either recruited or suppressed people from poor families. Factions in the court are intertwined, and those poor students eventually become their vassals. This is the tragedy of the court.
Although Lin Jiuan is also from a branch of an aristocratic family, he cares about the people and is not a person who only cares about a career in politics. Otherwise, he would not have been re-elected as the county magistrate for many years.
If he hadn't been appreciated by the Fourth Master, he would have ended up being in the same boat with those people, right? This is reality.
"I hope you can keep your original intention!" Lin Jiuan said and thought of the Fourth Prince.
Ah? Why did Jiang Youzhen suddenly feel that the burden on her shoulders was heavy, as if she was very high-ranking and had put pressure on her for no reason. In fact, she was just a little selfish.
"You are a good friend of Master Tong, and the Fourth Master showed great appreciation for you last time. What do you think of the Fourth Master?"
Emmm, you are really good at setting traps. Who dares to talk about the prince?
Jiang Youzhen hesitated for a moment, and then under Lin Jiuan's piercing gaze, he slowly said, "In fact, I have only met the Fourth Master once, but Brother Huai'an praised him highly. When we first met, I only felt that the Fourth Master was gentle and kind, and had the demeanor of a noble family."
Lin Jiuan frowned. This doesn’t look familiar!
He thought about it and decided to report the matter to the Fourth Master and let him decide! If he just said it now, the boy might not accept it, so he had to take it slowly.