Chapter 0006: It is indeed as such.

Liang Qing also unloaded the firewood from his shoulder, standing beside his younger brother and gazing into the distance with an expression of envy

If the imperial examination is regarded as a great door, behind which lie several mountains to be crossed, it is evident that the title of scholar serves as the key to this door. Only by opening this door can a virtuous minister have the opportunity to traverse the mountains.

The youngest member of the Zhang family sat in the cart, occasionally lifting the curtain to greet familiar villagers, wearing a broad smile and looking quite pleased with himself. The village head and the elders had already gathered early by the side of the cart, chatting and laughing with the youngest member of the Zhang family.

On the way, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard from the west. Looking from a distance, a procession was making its way into the village. Many villagers ran to see the commotion, and there were quite a few children bouncing and jumping at the front of the procession

Seeing that the two brothers were unaware, Aunt Zhang smiled and said, "It's that chicken thief who was locked up by the authorities for a day and a night. However, he has become quite successful now, serving as a husband in the palace. Look, he has returned home to visit his parents, and he truly looks impressive."

Liang Chen could clearly see the envy of the nearby villagers towards the youngest member of the Zhang family, with many approaching to flatter him. He felt indifferent, thinking to himself, what is so worthy of such flattery for a mere eunuch from the palace

The examination for scholars is held twice every three years. If one waits for the next session along with the books, it will take more than a year. Wasting more than a year of time in vain is indeed a very tormenting matter for Wei Liangchen

However, when he turned his head and saw his elder brother Liangqing, he was taken aback, for at that moment, Liangqing also wore a look of longing.

Liang Chen stopped, his curiosity prompting him to see how people in the Ming Dynasty married their wives

Moreover, one of the most important reasons why Liang Chen is so eager to participate in the provincial examination is that the Ming Dynasty's imperial examination has certain age requirements, or rather, the age of the participants has a significant impact on their future prospects

Liangqing saw his younger brother running around again, and could not help but scold him a few times, then took Liangchen and returned home

In other words, this is a story about a eunuch who has prospered in the palace returning home in glory

As they spoke, the team of the youngest Zhang family member arrived before them. Several idle members of the team were distributing various snacks to the villagers. Among the team, there were also a few soldiers, and judging by their uniforms, they seemed to be from the military station of a neighboring county. It was unclear how the youngest Zhang had managed to bring them along. There were also some officials from the county accompanying them, one of whom was recognized by Liang Chen as Wu Xiuzhi's elder brother, Wu Dezhen, who served as a clerk in the county's six offices.

Upon returning from social studies, Wei Liangchen fell into a state of anxiety. Master Wu was unwilling to accept him into the school and refused to vouch for him. He could only seek another scholar to act as his guarantor, and he needed to do so quickly; otherwise, he would not be able to catch up with the provincial examination three months later

Therefore, only by achieving success in the imperial examination during youth, specifically by passing the highest examination before the age of thirty, can one hope for a brilliant future. Throughout the Ming dynasty, nearly all the grand scholars who entered the cabinet were renowned by the age of thirty, with some even passing the highest examination at the age of seventeen or eighteen. These young talents, after passing the examination, would be prioritized by the court for entry into the Hanlin Academy, where they would undergo several years of training before being put to significant use. As long as no major issues arise, it is generally certain that by the age of forty or fifty, they will enter the cabinet and become decision-makers at the highest level of the empire. These young talents, after passing the examination, would be prioritized by the court for entry into the Hanlin Academy, where they would undergo several years of training before being put to significant use. As long as no major issues arise, it is generally certain that by the age of forty or fifty, they will enter the cabinet and become decision-makers at the highest level of the empire

The sound of drums and gongs grew closer, startling the entire village, drawing both adults and children to gather around. Liangchen spotted his father, Wei Jinde, and Aunt Zhang from next door among the crowd, so he pulled his brother along and approached. Before his father could speak to him, Liangchen eagerly asked, "Father, whose wedding is being celebrated today?"

Wu De, the secretary of the Six Houses, is regarded as a significant figure in the eyes of the common people of Lishu Village. However, this prominent individual is now serving the youngest member of the Zhang family, following him around with a smile and obediently taking orders like a subordinate. This contrast has opened the eyes of the villagers, and as a result, the youngest member of the Zhang family is held in even higher esteem in their minds

Is it really the case that the path of the imperial examination has come to an end

As for whether the student who took the place of the worthy minister provided any benefits to Master Wu, that is not something the worthy minister can inquire about. He cannot blame Master Wu, as it is his own lack of effort that led to two years of wasted time, tarnishing his own reputation. Even if the lawsuit reaches the county, no one would say that Master Wu acted incorrectly.

After a long time of contemplation, Liang Chen finally realized that this youngest member of the Zhang family was serving as a eunuch in the palace, and that "Laogong" was the term used by the common people to refer to the eunuchs in the palace at that time

Take the village school of Pear Tree Village as an example. Each time there is an examination for the young scholars, the school has only three to five slots available, while the number of young scholars eligible to take the exam is certainly much greater than that. In other words, the ability to take the exam is not solely determined by the academic excellence of the young scholars; the presiding teacher, Master Wu, holds significant decision-making power. Under the premise of equal academic performance, whether one can take the exam is entirely at the discretion of Master Wu. Naturally, this situation inevitably involves certain social dynamics and interests. Under the premise of equal academic performance, whether one can take the exam is entirely at the discretion of Master Wu. Naturally, this situation inevitably involves certain social dynamics and interests.

The loyal minister was burdened with heavy thoughts, and he did not know how he returned from the social studies. On the way home, he encountered his elder brother Liangqing, who was returning from chopping firewood.

He is indeed anxious; he understands the ways of the world. As long as he can find a way to connect with the scholar, he has a chance to ask the other party to vouch for him. However, if there is no way to make that connection, even if he rashly approaches someone to seek their help, they will not agree to assist him. After all, the qualifications for the provincial examination are not merely a requirement for the test, but also involve various interests.

Liang Chen did not dare to tell his elder brother about his visit to Master Wu, trailing behind Liang Qing with his head down and a distracted mind

As for Wei Liangchen, what is currently lacking is this key

The Zhang family was laughing so hard that they could hardly close their mouths, exuding an air of unparalleled arrogance both inside and out

Wei Liangchen is eligible to participate in the provincial examination, as he has already passed the county examination and has taken the provincial examination once. Although he did not pass, this does not invalidate his county examination results. However, the prerequisite for continuing to participate in the provincial examination is that a scholar must provide a guarantee. Since Master Wu will no longer accept Liangchen, he will certainly not provide a guarantee for him, thus, Wei Liangchen's opportunity will be given to someone else

The older one gets, the dimmer the prospects of success in the imperial examination become. One might ask, if a person only becomes a scholar in their thirties, and attains the status of a provincial graduate or a successful candidate in their forties or fifties, how could the court possibly prioritize the cultivation of someone who is nearing the end of their life

Just now, I told Wu Xiuzhi that in the future I want to be "like-minded" with Pan Xuezhong. If I really cannot continue my studies and take the imperial examination, then this statement will truly become a laughingstock.

Whose family in the village is holding a celebration?

"It is not a celebration at anyone's home; it is the youngest of the Zhang family who has returned." The speaker is Aunt Zhang, a warm-hearted woman who has watched the Liangchen brothers grow up since they were little.

Zhang Jia Lao Yao

Wei Liangchen is 16 years old this year, yet he remains an unqualified student who has not passed the examination for the title of Xiucai. In the southern regions, there are many Xiucai of his age, and there are also numerous Jinshi. Therefore, if Liangchen were to pursue the imperial examination route, he would actually be starting much later than others. However, at this age, he is neither too old nor too young, and there are still opportunities available; it all depends on how Liangchen seizes them

On the way home, Liang Chen went through all the relatives of the Wei family in his memory, only to find that there was not a single scholar or a relative who could be associated with a scholar.

The loyal minister was left speechless, and could not help but think of a famous saying - "A true gentleman should be like this!"

Liang Chen scratched his head, unable to recall who this person was. Liang Qing also could not remember at that moment, only feeling that this person seemed quite familiar.

Liang Chen caught a glimpse of his elder brother's expression and couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh. At Liang Qing's age, he would be considered young in later generations, but in the present context, he is already quite old. If he fails to marry soon, it is likely that he will remain a bachelor for the rest of his life