Nu Yalang of Tang Dynasty

Hearing Zhou Dinghai's words, Zhou Jun became angry and said: "Father is confused. The imperial examination has been released. The child is going to Nancao to participate in the judgment and ceremony. How can he go home?"

Zhou Dinghai also reacted and quickly said to Zhou Jun: "Father knows, Jun'er, go quickly."

Zhou Jun glanced at him worriedly and said, "Father, please don't stay outside. You can return home first and tell your mother the good news."

When Zhou Dinghai heard this, he thought it made sense, so he turned around and left with a smile.

Seeing Zhou Dinghai walking away, Zhou Jun breathed a sigh of relief, took out his suit and walked towards Anshang's door.

After checking his identity at the Wuwei Office, Zhou Jun entered Anshangmen, followed the stamps, and came to the Ministry of Civil Affairs Selection Hall again.

Compared to the solemn silence last time, the current Ministry of Civil Affairs Office held some wine and food in the courtyard, which looked much more festive.

The officials at the gate of the courtyard greeted the newly arrived Liuwai Quan candidates and pointed in the direction of where they should sit at the banquet according to the yamen they were auditioning for.

When Zhou Jun handed in his petition, the official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs who was responsible for contacting him saw him. He was stunned for a while, and then said with a smile: "This is the second son of the Zhou family."

Zhou Jun looked at the other party, a little confused. He didn't seem to recognize this official from the Ministry of Personnel.

The official smiled and said: "On that day, I accompanied the doctor and listened to the advice behind the curtain. Naturally, I didn't recognize him on Tuesday."

After Zhou Jun heard this, he quickly bowed his hands and apologized.

The official picked up Zhou Jun, took him to the small courtyard behind the selection hall, and said, "The imperial examination ended that day. Mr. Chu has always wanted to see you. Today, I can finally fulfill my wish. Come with me quickly."

Entering the inner courtyard, Zhou Jun saw a tall man in red robe and official uniform with a full beard, holding a list of judges and looking at it.

After taking two steps forward, Zhou Jun greeted Mr. Chu as his disciple and praised him: "Young man Zhou Jun, thank you for your kindness."

Langzhong Chu turned his head and looked at Zhou Jun, then smiled and said: "But Zhou Hengcai?"

Zhou Jun lowered his head and said yes.

Mr. Chu asked Zhou Jun to raise his head, looked at it carefully, and said, "How old is this handsome man?"

Zhou Jun quickly spoke modestly.

Chu Langzhong asked Zhou Jun: "Hengcai never went to school?"

Zhou Jun cupped his hands and replied: "Never."

Mr. Chu asked again: "All my abilities come from books."

Zhou Jun replied: "Yes."

Langzhong Chu paused for a moment and then asked: "Does the book also contain strategies for absconding when captured?"

Zhou Jun was stunned for a moment, but he quickly thought of the answer: "The little man's family is from a family of slaves. He once encountered a runaway slave. He listened to the doctor's inquiry that day, so he learned and applied it."

Dr. Chu nodded appreciatively: "Exerting inferences from one instance and drawing parallels from analogies is the talent for flexibility."

After hearing this, Zhou Jun just said a few words of self-effacement.

Doctor Chu said: "I have heard some things about you, but today I found out that most of the rumors in the market are untrue."

Zhou Jun knew that he was talking about his predecessor, so he just lowered his head and said nothing.

Dr. Chu had another conversation with Zhou Jun, and when he said goodbye at the end, he said: "Since you have talent and learning, you need to remember to pay attention and don't be distracted by other things."

Zhou Jun was stunned for a moment, then he quickly saluted and said, "Hengcai thanks the master for the advice."

Mr. Chu nodded and said, "Go."

Back at Nancao's courtyard, Zhou Jun was still thinking about Langzhong Chu's last words.

Is that sentence just a routine word of encouragement, or does it have a deeper meaning?

After sitting in the banquet, Zhou Jun waited for a moment and then saw Mr. Chu coming out.

He first said a few words of encouragement to the candidates in the banquet, and then started the routine process.

The candidates who were elected to the outside world were appointed in the official selection committee, and the whole process was called "judgement".

First, under the leadership of the examiner, everyone went to the north to express their gratitude, thanked the front hall, and then thanked the Quanjian. Then there were selected people to express their thanks, and then they were selected to receive the official talisman with the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel. Finally, everyone took their seats.

At this point, a complete ceremony of selecting and accepting officials for Liuwai Quan is concluded.

Zhou Jun experienced this and felt a little disappointed.

Compared with the imperial examination high school, this outsider's success is much shabby.

After the results of the provincial examination in the Tang Dynasty were released, the Jinshi who were on the list would first go to the examiner's residence to thank the examiner.

Then, the examiner will lead the new scholar to Zhongshu Provincial Capital Hall to meet the prime minister.

Next, after passing the palace examination, those who passed the imperial examination had to go to the emperor to express their gratitude.

After completing this whole process, the Jinshi still have to inscribe their names on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda of Ci'en Temple and go to the southeast of Chang'an to attend the Qujiang Banquet.

The prominent families in Chang'an City will also take advantage of this opportunity to go to these two places to choose a son-in-law who can ride a dragon.

In comparison, Liu Waiquan's subordinates were dismissed with just a banquet, an official talisman, and a few words of encouragement.

The treatment is really different.

After walking out of the selection committee of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Zhou Jun counted the days and found that there were still seven or eight days left before he took office. He just took advantage of this time to sort out the things around him.

After riding back home, Zhou Jun heard Zhou Dinghai talking non-stop in the hall before he entered the hall.

"The Zhou family has been slaves for generations. No matter where they go, they will be looked down upon."

"A few years ago, a certain person went to Changxingfang to work as a slave. He wanted to enter Quzalan Garden for a look. He reported his identity and was kicked out."

"Everyone in Lanyuan is a philistine. Selling people's wealth is a great evil, but who knows that Zhou cherishes his reputation and has never done anything that harms the harmony of heaven and earth!"

Zhou Jun also sighed softly when he heard his father's words outside the door.

This week, Dinghai felt extremely sad and resentful about the fact that the Zhou family was born as a slave.

He worked hard day and night, bought a house in Chang'an City, and sent his eldest son to a private school, all in the hope that one day the Zhou family could get rid of their servile background and become decent people.

But now, a son in the family has passed the civil service examination and became a subordinate official. Zhou Dinghai's previous forbearance and pain suddenly found a way to vent. Driven by compensatory psychology, he naturally asked for more and longed for more.

As the saying goes, poor people must be hateful.

Zhou Jun walked into the hall and looked at Zhou Dinghai, who was sitting at the desk, drinking non-stop, with a happy face, and planned to give him a final shout-out.

Zhou Jun walked to Zhou Dinghai and asked, "Father, are you really going to Xiao Mansion to say goodbye tomorrow?"

Zhou Dinghai smiled and said: "Of course!"

Zhou Jun said: "The matchmaker's book earlier, the page about the eldest wife of the Xiao family, the child looked at it and there was something vague about it. Maybe the matchmaker had some hidden secrets and didn't mention it, right?"

"How about, before going to the Xiao Mansion tomorrow, my son will accompany you to find the matchmaker and inquire about it?"

Zhou Dinghai burped and said: "The Xiao family is a noble family, and the matchmaker is vulgar, so naturally there are many ignorances."

"It's okay, we, father and son, will just ask the Xiao family directly tomorrow."

Zhou Jun saw that Zhou Dinghai was confused, so he planned to speak more clearly: "It seems that there are only three young ladies in the Xiao family, and the husband has not been seen."

Zhou Dinghai said with a smile: "Wouldn't that be just right? As the saying goes, an uncle is half a son. If Jun'er marries the eldest daughter of the Xiao family into the Zhou family, won't the Xiao family have to rely on the Zhou family for help in future affairs?"

Facing Zhou Dinghai, Zhou Jun knew that no matter how much he hinted to him, he might not be able to listen.

Right now, the only way to make him sober up is to accompany him to the Xiao Mansion tomorrow.