My father Zhu Gaoxu

Chapter 373

It was already late at night, but Zhao Zhi hadn't slept yet. Under the dim oil lamp, he tried to squint his eyes, trying to read the words on the book, but the light was too dim, and his eyes were not good, so it was very difficult for him to read.

But even so, Zhao Zhi still read the contents of the book word by word to deepen his memory and understanding of the contents.

At this moment, only a light knock on the door came from outside, which made Zhao Zhi startled, and immediately asked loudly: "Who?"

"Me! Seeing that the light in your room is still on, brother Zhao, I think you must not be asleep yet."

A familiar voice said from outside.

Zhao Zhi felt relieved when he heard this, he heard that it was another examiner from the same court as him, the other's name was Hu Hong, and like him, they both came to the capital to take the imperial examination.

So Zhao Zhi stood up and opened the door, only to see Hu Hong with gray hair standing outside the door, holding a jug of wine in his right hand and two oil-paper bags in his left hand.

"Brother Hu, you are..."

Looking at the food and wine in Hu Hong's hand, Zhao Zhi also asked in surprise.

"I can't sleep, so I want to have a drink or two with Brother Zhao!"

Hu Hong raised the wine jar in his hand and smiled.

"Drinking? But there will be no imperial examinations soon..."

Zhao Zhi was a little hesitant, because he wanted to hurry up and review.

"Brother Zhao, the exam is not until the end of the year, and we have studied for so many years. No matter how hard we try in the past two days, we are just asking for peace of mind, so it is better to let go of your mind and get drunk, and sleep well tomorrow." I feel that I will definitely not delay the exam!"

Hu Hong persuaded with a smile.

Zhao Zhi hesitated for a moment when he heard the words, but he also knew that what Hu Hong said was reasonable, so he finally nodded and said, "Okay, Brother Hu, please come in!"

Zhao Zhi moved away and invited Hu Hong into the room.

Hu Hong put the wine and vegetables on the table. The wine was cheap shochu. There were two dishes, one was pork head and the other was marinated pork lung.

Zhao Zhi found two small bowls to serve as wine glasses, and Hu Hong poured wine for both of them, then raised the wine bowls and said, "Brother Zhao, I wish you the honor of being named on the gold list this time, and high school in one fell swoop!"

"Brother Hu, you're being polite. You are far ahead of me in learning. If I can pass high school, you will definitely be on the list!"

At this time Zhao Zhi also raised his wine bowl and complimented him.

The two laughed and then drank the wine in the bowl.

After a few bowls of wine, Zhao Zhi and Hu Hong also let go of their hearts, chatting all over the world.

"Brother Zhao, back then, I passed the Juren examination at the age of 25. It was a sensation at the time. Everyone said that I would definitely pass the Jinshi examination next year. Who would have thought that after so many years, I still failed the examination repeatedly. I also tossed away all the family property!"

Hu Hong doesn't drink very well, he just drank a few bowls, and suddenly complained to Zhao Zhi.

"Brother Hu, hard work pays off, we have prepared for so many years, this time we will definitely be able to go to high school!"

Zhao Zhi felt sore in his heart, but he still tried to comfort Hu Hongdao.

In fact, Zhao Zhi's experience is similar to Hu Hong's. He was even a few years younger than Hu Hong when he passed the Juren examination, but now both of them are over fifty, but they are still Juren.

Originally, Zhao Zhi's family was relatively well-off, but he went to the capital to take the imperial examinations again and again, and each time he spent a lot of money. In addition, he was devoted to the imperial examinations and had no intention of managing the family business, which led to the decline of his family.

Even this time, in order to enter Beijing, his wife sold the last few acres of land in the family. If she failed the exam again, the family might starve with him.

"Brother Zhao, if... I mean, if you fail the exam this time, what are your plans for the future?"

Finally, Hu Hong asked Zhao Zhi with a blushing face and thick neck with the help of Jiu Jin.

"If you fail the exam again..."

Zhao Zhi hesitated for a moment, and finally heaved a long sigh.

"I have a classmate friend who passed the Jinshi exam a few years ago and is now working as a county magistrate in another place. Last year he said he wanted to invite me to be a staff member, but I was still unwilling, so I wanted to take the exam again. If I didn't pass the exam, I would just I can go to him."

In fact, Juren also has the opportunity to become an official, but a Juren like Zhao Zhi, who is not of high background and has nothing to do with the officialdom, is basically impossible to have the opportunity to be an official.

"Staff, this is a good job. Unfortunately, I am not as lucky as you, brother Zhao. If I fail the exam again this time, I can only go back to my hometown to teach. In the future, I will be a teacher honestly. There is no mention of the imperial examination."

Hu Hong reeked of alcohol and said again with red eyes.

"Stop talking about this, come, drink!"

Zhao Zhi picked up the wine jar and poured Hu Hong a bowl of wine, then said again.

Hu Hong also felt aggrieved, so he picked up the wine bowl and touched Zhao Zhi, and then drank it down again.

The two sympathized with each other, and used the strength of alcohol to tell all the grievances that they had failed in the past few years. They drank more and more alcohol, and finally they were all drunk and passed out.

Zhao Zhi had a long dream, in which he seemed to have returned to decades ago, when he had just won the imperial examination, and everyone rushed to congratulate him, even the magistrate personally received him.

In the following imperial examinations, Zhao Zhi also performed steadily, passed the Jinshi examination very smoothly, and was awarded an official position. In the next few decades, he experienced ups and downs in the officialdom. He entered the cabinet smoothly and often accompanied the king.

Zhao Zhi couldn't help but be filled with joy when he dreamed of something he was proud of, but in the end he was overjoyed and woke up from the dream all of a sudden.

When Zhao Zhi opened his eyes, what he saw was a broken cobweb on the roof. He turned his head and saw that the furnishings in the house were simple, except for a table and a bed, and there was nothing else on the table. Unfinished food and drink.

Looking at the shabby living room, and thinking of the scene of the extremely powerful minister in the dream, the huge contrast made Zhao Zhi a little confused between reality and dream, and he became a little dazed.

At this time, the sound of snoring came from the side, and Zhao Zhi turned his head to look, only to find that Hu Hong was sleeping soundly on the table.

Looking at Hu Hong's gray hair, and then lowering his head to look at his own gray beard, Zhao Zhi couldn't help but sigh. At the age of the two of them, they should have stayed at home to entertain their grandchildren and enjoy the blessing of their children and grandchildren.

But because of the imperial examination, Zhao Zhi wasted years. Although he and his wife have several children, because he devoted himself to studying, they are not very close to them. Even when his son grows up, he has no money to marry them. For this reason, the sons also complained quite a lot.

Although his wife has been supporting him in the imperial examination for so many years, failing to pass the exam for so many years has also made his wife lose face in her natal family, and even have no face to return to her natal family.

Thinking of this, Zhao Zhi suddenly felt sad, and even doubted his belief all the time. Is it really meaningful to study hard for so many years?

(End of this chapter)