My God, I am the emperor, the lord of mankind.

Chapter 386 Emperor Wenchang

Although the imperial court "followed the tradition of the Tang and Song Dynasties, but slightly changed its method of testing scholars, specifically using the Four Books and Five Classics to test scholars."

However, since Confucius, various schools have had very different interpretations of the Four Books and Five Classics.

Today, the imperial court still uses the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism established by Zhu Xi to recruit scholars.

This was used as the standard for imperial examination admission.

It is precisely for this reason that although the art of papermaking became popular and the door to the imperial examination was wide open, the wealthy surname Gao could still firmly control the way to rise in the world by virtue of his wealth and status.

Although you and I also read the Four Books and Five Classics.

But during the imperial examination, how to understand and interpret a certain sentence in the Four Books and Five Classics? These people came from the Song Dynasty and had heard the teachings of Zhu Xi and his disciples. In the Yuan Dynasty, they were high-ranking Confucian households. The basis for the Confucian classics family to reject the poor and outliers is not something that can be preached to the world.

In the courtyard, Liu Zhen once again flipped through the "Collected Commentary on the Four Books" that he had read countless times and almost memorized it backwards. Listening to the pitiful cries of sparrows on the branches due to hunger and cold, he became more and more upset as he read.

The hens at home were also lying sickly in the simple chicken coop. Liu Zhen took a look when he got up just now. Sure enough, just like Liu Zhen, the hens that had been hungry for three days did not lay eggs.

It actually put an end to his idea of ​​taking the eggs to Zhao Yuanwai's house next door to exchange for some rice porridge for his mother.

Liu Zhen sighed, placed the book on the stone table in the courtyard in front of him, and fell into deep thought.

He was worried about his future and felt at a loss.

Although he was admitted as a scholar in the provincial examination three years ago, it did not really help his family.

The family was still bare-bones, and the output of the few acres of thin farmland was barely enough to meet the tax collectors of the court.

In addition to daily work, I also have to work as a cashier in a wine shop for half a day every day. I write some eulogies or memorials for weddings and funerals, and get some money, meat and rice to support my family.

Liu Zhen knew very well that the few acres of land at home could not support him as an adult and his mother.

Not to mention things like getting a wife and having children.

Although Niumao Town is small, for some reason, there are still people who become famous every year in Jingzhong High School and the imperial examination.

Because of the rich human resources, there was no good father-in-law like Butcher Hu in the storybook who gave Liu Zhen money to send his daughter to continue his studies.

This is probably his only chance to enter the province and try to obtain a meritorious title.

Just as he sighed, there was a rapid knock on the door.

"Brother Liu! Brother Liu!"

Liu Zhen recognized the source of the voice. He was the son of Zhao Yuan's wife next door who had participated in the provincial examination with him at the same time.

"Open the door quickly!"

So anxious to hear that voice.

Liu Zhen didn't know what happened.

He quickly stood up and propped himself up, his head slightly groggy from sitting for too long and from hunger.

He went and opened the door bolt.

There was a familiar face outside the door.

"Master Zhao? These are..."

Liu Zhen looked at the eldest son of Zhao Yuan's maternal wife in front of him with some doubts.

The two of them didn't interact much on weekdays. The only times they met was when they were taking part in the provincial examination and when the results were announced. At that time, they exchanged a few words.

Liu Zhen looked at the young master of the Zhao family in front of him. He couldn't imagine what the richly dressed young master in front of him and the young and powerful young masters behind him who were also from high families wanted to do with him.

"Brother Liu——"

The handsome young man in front of him looked at Liu Zhen with joy written all over his face.

He looked around at the surrounding areas behind Liu Zhen, making Liu Zhen feel slightly ashamed.

Then he patted Liu Zhen on the shoulder and said.

"Mr. Zhou often praises Brother Liu for his amazing talent and learning in front of us. I wonder how Brother Liu is preparing for the exam. Are you sure about this year's exam?"

Facing Liu Zhen, who was wearing thin and shabby clothes in front of him, there was no contempt in the eyes of Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhou is a teacher jointly hired by several wealthy families of the Zhao family and Huang family in the private school in the town.

It is said that he worked as a minor official in Beijing at that time. Later, because he wrote a letter criticizing Liu Jin's dictatorial power, he was stripped of all honors by the imperial court and sent to the frontier.

Mr. Zhou also took great care of Liu Zhen and often took out his collection of books and gave them to Liu Zhen to copy and refer to.

Hearing this, Liu Zhen subconsciously touched the four books in his arms, with a look of shame on his face.

"Ashamed——, in order to make a living recently, although I am about to take the exam, I don't have much time to study knowledge..."

Liu Zhen replied.

But after hearing Liu Zhen's answer, Mr. Zhao in front of him didn't show any surprise on his face.

Instead, he showed an enigmatic smile, which made Liu Zhen feel a little scared subconsciously.

"A great talent like Brother Liu actually has to worry about the travel expenses to take the exam. If he misses this exam, when will he have to wait until the next time he can raise the travel expenses?"

Having said this, before Liu Zhen could react, the young master of the Zhao family in front of him began to lament.

Liu Zhen sighed deeply when he heard this.

See the time is ripe.

Mr. Zhao turned around, looked at the people around him, then leaned close to Liu Zhen's ear and whispered.

"Brother Liu, I have a way to protect you from high school."

When Liu Zhen heard this, he was stunned for a moment, but when he looked up, he saw that Mr. Zhao didn't look like he was joking.

Moreover, several people behind him also came closer and surrounded themselves in the middle.

Liu Zhen was worried that they wanted to commit some fraud.

But he couldn't get away, so he had to wave his hands and refuse.

"Don't try to harm me. I still have an old mother at home, and I have only one son to support me. You are also rich and nobles, with a bright future. But don't do stupid things just because of your confusion!"

Seeing Liu Zhen so scared.

However, none of them took action to stop Liu Zhen from shouting. Instead, they gathered together and laughed.

That Mr. Zhao just spoke.

"Brother Liu misunderstood us - as scholars, although we don't have much knowledge, how could we do such moral depravity?"

"I wonder if Brother Liu knows the Emperor Wenchang in Pofeng Temple on Niumao Mountain——"

"Emperor Wenchang——"

Liu Zhen chewed on the name, and for some reason, he instinctively felt a chill.

It's as if this name is all that is needed to be recited here.

He had already been absorbed into the black Taoist temple.

Never escape—

But then, Liu Zhen smiled bitterly.

"I also know how to pray to God, but my family doesn't have that much money to contribute to the emperor."

It is said that the monks at the Jintai Temple next door are quite efficacious, and Liu's mother once went there to seek some spiritual water to ward off evil spirits.

But those eminent monks and Taoists do not pray for free. Every time pilgrims go there, they have to spend money to make offerings to the gods and Buddhas.

Liu Zhen could not come up with money, so he prayed for blessings from gods and Buddhas.

But Mr. Zhao in front of him shook his head, looking a little strange.

"Brother Liu, what I am talking about is not the clay sculptures of gods and Buddhas that we usually worship - Emperor Wenchang has great supernatural powers and a compassionate heart. He does not need money from believers to worship him."

(End of this chapter)