Chapter 6: Lu Fu Zi

  Xu Yuansuo returned home, and his mother finally breathed a sigh of relief, no longer mentioning that Mr. Blind's matter.

  Xu Liangzuo came back and the whole family had lunch. Because his sister went to someone's home to help with needlework today, the host was in charge of meals, so they didn't have to wait for her.

  Just after dinner, someone came from outside the door and shouted loudly: "Mrs. Xu, there is a letter for you."

  Xu's mother hurried out, took the letter, and asked the young man to come in for a cup of tea. The young man had other things to attend to, handed over the letter and left without delay.

  Both brothers guessed that it was a letter from their father, one was excited and wanted to read it for his mother, the other was rather indifferent, naturally it was Xu Yuanshuo.

  Even the former Xu Yuansuo was not very enthusiastic about his father. The traveling merchants of this era were hardworking, leaving home in February and returning in October. If they missed their schedule, they would have to spend the New Year's festival away from home. How much time could they spend with their families and children?

  "Father said: It will be back in a few days, at the latest on October 1st!" Xu Liangzuo exclaimed excitedly: "And also said that this time Chuncai is not less... what is Chuncai?"

  "Profit." Xu Yuansuo added a sentence and said: "It seems that Mr. Mang is still accurate."

  Mrs. Xu looked embarrassed. If the fortune teller's calculation was incorrect, she would have forgotten about it in two days. But that fortune teller had actually calculated correctly, and now if she herself pinched people for two cents of silver, wouldn't she be cutting off her own future wealth and honor?

  "What did he say after you drove him out?" asked Mrs. Xu.

  Xu Yuansuo didn't think much of it and said, "Nothing was said anyway."

  Xu's mother didn't ask any further questions, only Xu Liangzuo asked on the side: "What is profit? What is Mr. Blind?"

  Xu Yuansuo was too lazy to explain to the little kid, and pressed down on Liang Suo's head, turning him towards the stairs: "You've eaten and rested for so long, hurry up and go recite your lessons!"

  "You yourself don't read books anymore, yet you know to ask me to recite books..." Xu Liangso said displeased.

  "Now it's all up to you to study and change our family's fate, if you're any lazier, our family won't even have anyone who can hold their head up high." Xu Yuansu said as he pushed his younger brother upstairs, actually wanting to escape from their mother himself.

  Xu's mother didn't think so and went straight to the back door to wash dishes in the river.

  The two brothers went upstairs to their own room. Xu Liang saw the paper and ink on the table at a glance, pulled out one: "Huh, brother's handwriting..."

  Xu Yuansuo's tightly written notes had all been hidden away, and he wasn't afraid of him seeing them. He merely urged: "Don't bother with trivial matters, hurry up and review your books, I'll help you check your memory."

  Xu Liang put down the paper, somewhat disheartened, and said: "Brother, what you said yesterday about reading having three difficulties, doesn't that mean I won't be able to read it either? Although my natural talent is better than yours, but in terms of family learning and diligence, I still can't compare to others."

  Xu Yuansuo curled his lip and thought to himself: Are you naturally more talented than me? Better than this human calculator? Or do you also know about the 450 years of later generations?

  "Reading has three difficulties, but also a great help." Xu Yuansuo still said to his brother: "With this help, even if the talent is mediocre and the family learning is insufficient, as long as you are willing to work hard, you will necessarily be able to pass the exam."

  Xu Liang's eyebrows twitched: "What kind of help is Big Brother talking about?"

  "Silver." Xu Yuansuo smiled and said, "As long as you have silver to pave the way and are willing to work hard, you can naturally buy all kinds of art and literature for reference, and hire a master teacher to guide you through your confusion."

  "How did our family get so much silver?" Xu Liangso sighed.

  "In the future, I'll take care of making money. You just focus on studying well and becoming a good official to bring honor to our family." Xu Yuansuo said: "Wait until you can hold up the beam and support the pillar, then I'll go back to school."

  Xu Liang had not yet untied his knot when his brother pressed him onto the high stool and was about to give him a pen to write silently.

  "By the way, brother, Master Fu said that even if you don't study anymore, you should still go and greet him. How can you just not go?" Xu Liang took over the brush and muttered to himself: "This morning I was also scolded along with you."

  "Hmm, after you all finish school, I'll go to Lu Fu's house for a visit." Xu Yuansu said: "I'll give you two words, and you silently write the rest of the text."

  "Alright." Xu Liangzuo straightened his back, full of momentum: "As long as it's from the Analects, bring it on."

  Xu Yuansuo liked people with energy and smiled satisfactorily, enunciating clearly: "The Master said..."

  Xu Liang sat stiffly on the stool.

  Brother, are you kidding me?!

  The Analects is full of "the Master said"!

  The pressure of reading in this era is not small, but the time for teachers to teach is limited, and the key lies in the students' own learning ability.

  Xu Liangzuo quietly wrote half a book of "Analects" at home, only then exercising his wrist, putting away the pen and ink, before going to class.

  Xu Yuansuo reviewed university mathematics at home again, trying hard to recall some infinitesimal calculus formulas and examples, and for a while, he didn't think of how to convert them into productivity and bring himself profits.

  Suddenly, the sound of children's voices came from the other side of the river. Xu Yuansuo knew that it was time for the village school to dismiss classes. He swished his brush in the ink washer, stood up and tidied himself before heading out.

  "Mother, I'm going to pay respects to Father." Xu Yuansu bid farewell.

  Xu's mother knew her son had made up his mind and refused to study anymore, so she pretended not to hear him and busied herself with household chores.

  Xu Yuansuo did not go to this joint to scold and fight, after the report he himself went out with peace of mind.

  Lu Fuzi's family lived in Zhangjiawazi, west of the town. Normally, he resided in a dormitory next to the City God Temple. This was because local gentry sympathized with his advanced age and thought it too exhausting for him to walk four or five miles every morning and evening, so they let him live there rent-free. Now Lu Fuzi considered this house as his permanent residence, and left the one in Zhangjiawazi for his son and daughter-in-law to live in.

  He walked slowly and arrived at the gate of Lu's residence. He knocked on the door, knowing that there was only a deaf old servant inside, so he called out loudly: "Student Xu Yuansuo, requesting to see Master Lu."

  The old servant finally came out and opened the door after shouting twice. He looked Xu Yuanshu up and down before letting him in.

  It turned out that apart from his poor hearing, his eyes were no longer sharp either.

  Lu Fu Zi had already taken his seat in the main hall, with a cup of tea on the table. He seemed to glance at Xu Yuan Zuo intentionally or unintentionally.

  "Master," Xu Yuansu stepped forward and paid his respects, "I have come as a student to report something to you."

  "Don't want to read books anymore?" Lu Fu-zi's face sank. Although whether Xu Yuan-zuo reads or not has nothing to do with him, he doesn't have the awareness of "not one can be less", it's just that he had just taken five taels of silver from someone, and now he's making a fuss about dropping out, which makes him somewhat embarrassed.

  "Books are still worth reading." Xu Yuansuo smiled and said: "It's just that learning can't be done anymore."

  Lu Fu-zi shook his head: "Never mind, everyone has their own fate, and it's no use trying to force things. Actually, you don't need to rush over here, just mention it at the school tomorrow and that will be fine."

  "Still have to come and pay respects to the master." Xu Yuansu looked at the furnishings in the house and said, "The master lives here, it's really simple and unadorned."

  Lu Fu Zi was hit in the heart and pretended to be noble: "A gentleman worries about the Tao, not about poverty. Even if you don't attend school, you should often read the books of saints."

  "The students thought Master Fu shouldn't be so troubled." Xu Yuansu let out a light sigh.

  Lu Fuzi's anger arose from his heart and he secretly said: "Is this something to be said to one's face? Have you come here to take revenge?"

  "Master Xu, I heard that your family doesn't have much land left?" Xu Yuansuo said: "My brother's business in flower cloth is still doing quite well."

  "Cough, cough, it's late at night, let's go back early." Lu Fuzi was worried that if he didn't hurry Xu Yuansuo away, he might lose his composure and throw the teacup at him.

  If this vase is broken, it would be terrible.

  Xu Yuansuo stood up and smiled: "Master, you have the title of Shengyuan, with a salary of two shi of rice and exemption from labor for two people. If this is let out, it can also bring in some silver every year." After speaking, Xu Yuansuo bowed and said: "I've disturbed Master, if there's anything to be done in the future, I'll definitely work hard like a horse or a dog."

  Lu Fuzi stood up woodenly and watched Xu Yuansu leave, but his mind was thinking about what that silly Xu had said.

  Indeed, our family has no more land now. Every year, the imperial court exempts us from land rent and labor service, isn't it a waste? If we want to let it out, how can we do it? Who has ever heard of farmers willing to donate to scholars? They would rather donate to officials!

  The students of the Ming Dynasty were commonly known as "Xiucai" or "xianggong", while those who passed the imperial examination were called "Lao Ye". However, there is a deeper meaning behind this. Although students were scholars and received preferential treatment from the state, after Yongle's reign, the country was stable, and the number of students increased, making it impossible to rely on their academic achievements to become officials. Only those who passed the imperial examination had the opportunity to be appointed as teachers in remote and impoverished areas.

  No matter what, a juren is already an official in the government. Since he is in the government, his status is naturally different. Therefore, in the Ming Dynasty, there are only poor xiucai, but no poor juren.

  Even if he was originally a poor scholar, once he became a successful candidate and became a gentleman, he would immediately have households from all over the countryside bringing their household registration and land deeds to offer themselves as slaves or servants in front of his gate, with the purpose of borrowing the official's protective umbrella to avoid paying taxes and labor services.

  Especially Ding's labor service is more than Tian's rent.

  It turns out that the preferential treatment of juren and shengyuan is exactly the same, without any increase, so it can only be attributed to the "official" halo on their heads.

  "Absurd!"

  Lu Fuzi immediately rejected Xu Yuansuo's proposal, and was somewhat heartbroken that his own privilege would be wasted in vain. He couldn't help but feel annoyed, and already couldn't bear to take it out on Xu Liangsuo who was still studying in the academy.

  He returned to the house, read for a while, and thought to himself: "I'm only fifty years old next year, Master said my fire has arrived. Last August was disappointed and didn't make it to the scene, now thinking about it is really regrettable. Since ancient times, who has been promoted outside the scene? If I enter the scene next year, when the time comes, I will get the second place on the list, or even have a chance to win twice."

  With the intention of going for an examination, Lu Fu Zi began to think about his own family again.

  During the Jiajing period, the prices of the Four Books and Five Classics in bookstores were quite low. In Jiangnan, a land known for its literary culture, they could even be obtained by paying a few pieces of silver. On the other hand, novels like "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" were sold at much higher prices.

  As for the books on current affairs and literary composition that Mr. Lu wants to buy, they are slightly more expensive than the Four Books and Five Classics, but can still be easily bought with a few dollars and cents. Even if you buy a lot, one or two silver coins will suffice.

  To enter the arena, one's writing skills must be refined. Moreover, in the examination of entering the arena, one cannot afford to be careless with their brush and ink. The brush should be a Hu brush, lest the strokes become scattered and unfocused; the ink should be Hui ink, lest the characters lose their luster and become dull.

  The worst thing about the imperial examination is that even if one's essay is excellent, they can still be disqualified due to poor handwriting.

  In this way, paper, pen and ink all cost some money.

  Moreover, you need a guarantor for the entrance exam, and two bottles of liquor are indispensable.

  It will cost no more than three to five taels of silver at most.

  I earn three to five taels of silver a year, after deducting expenses and supporting my family, there is usually not much left.

  This year, Xu's son had to open his mouth and added another five taels, but unfortunately, he encountered a loss in his son's business and had to make up for the loss at home. It is said that outsiders all think that selling flower cloth in the north is a profitable business, but if they encounter bandits or river thieves, or if the price of cloth plummets, it will also be a case of losing everything.

  Wealth is always lacking at home, and it's hard to get rich.

  Lu Fu Zi thought about it more and more, feeling somewhat disheartened, so he went to bed early.

  His head against the pillow, he thought of Xu Yuansuo's open source method and vaguely made up his mind: Tomorrow, summon Xu Yuansuo to the school and ask him to do it. If it succeeds, it will be a good thing; if not, then humiliate him, so that young people know how difficult this world is.