After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1070 Article
After reading the letter, Haitang felt relieved but couldn't help lamenting at the same time.

The Lu family ended up like this, it was truly their own fault.

But it was a blessing that his family didn't end up being executed. Lu Bainian didn't say it, but in fact he couldn't let go of his family. If he knew that his family would not die out, and that his descendants would still have hope of making a comeback after three generations, even if they had no hope of fame and success for the time being, he would surely be happy, right?
The third generation of descendants cannot take the imperial examination, but they don’t have to wait very long. The main culprits in the direct family are cousins ​​of the same generation as Lu Bainian. They are all around 60 years old and have grandchildren. The oldest of the third generation of grandchildren is in his twenties, and many of them have married and had children. Their next generation of descendants is the fourth generation, and they can continue to study and take the imperial examination. As long as they are talented, they will have a chance of success in the imperial examination in just ten or eight years. The Lu family can afford to wait.

As long as they don't lose their spirit because of their family's decline after being sent back to their hometowns, it will be fine.

Of course, even if the fourth generation of the Lu family had talent and could pass the imperial examinations, it would not be easy for them to succeed as the descendants of a criminal. The title of scholar would be fine. If the Lu family had a certain influence in their hometown, they would be able to succeed at the county level. However, when it came to the provincial examinations, the resumes of their fathers and grandfathers would become a huge stain in the eyes of the examiners sent by the court to various places. They might not be able to pass the examinations smoothly. No matter how talented they were, they would still be at risk of being dismissed midway. If the Lu family could not find help in the court, or could not meet an examiner who did not care about their family's past, they might waste decades at any time, waiting for the Lu family's dark history to be forgotten by the world. But that was all a story for the future. They still had hope of reviving their family.

I guess this is what Lu Bainian wants, right?
Haitang put the letter away and went to the front yard to tell Lu Bainian the good news.

Lu Bainian was reading a new article sent by Jin Jiashu. After hearing what Haitang said, he was stunned for a long time, then lowered his head and said calmly: "This is good. Those who deserve the punishment should atone for their past sins. Those who are innocent still have hope of being reborn. The new emperor is kind and the cabinet is fair and just. I have nothing else to ask for, but to be grateful for the emperor's grace."

Haitang asked in a low voice: "Grandpa Lu, if the Lu family is fine, they may return home in the spring. Do you want to go and see them? In the past, they thought they were high and mighty and looked down on you, but now that they are down and out, I'm sure they won't neglect you anymore."

Lu Bainian smiled and said, "When they see that I can stay in the capital safely, they may put on a warm smile, but what's the point? It's just false. What do I need their false feelings for?"

Haitang continued, "There are so many people in the Lu family. Are they all hypocritical? The Lu family can produce a gentleman like you. It is not certain that they will not raise sensible children. But now that the Lu family is in trouble, no matter whether they are good or bad children, they are destined to sink together. I don't know how they are living now. Have they been bullied because of their loss of power?"

Lu Bainian was silent for a moment, but instead picked up the article in his hand and said, "Xiao Jin's writing has improved a lot. Previously, we old men gave him so many books to read on his own. I thought he was not focused on them and would just deal with them carelessly. I didn't expect that he really took the time to write down the contents of those books, and also learned a lot of writing tips from famous scholars. Compared to when he was still in Chang'an, his writing has improved a lot. Although there are still some shortcomings, that is also because of his limited knowledge. Compared with many students of similar age, he is already very good."

After reading these articles, Lu Bainian sincerely felt that Jin Jiashu had a chance to be on the list in next year's provincial examination.

Upon hearing this, Haitang also picked up several other articles on the table and read them carefully. She had also studied for decades and had learned eight-part essays in her previous life, but she was not good at it. However, she could still judge whether an article was good or not. After reading the article, Haitang knew that what Lu Bainian said was true: "Indeed, many arguments are well-organized, logical, and full of momentum." She paused, "Brother Jin may not have made such great progress just by reading books. He lived in the palace for several months and was always with the new emperor. Did he see and hear how the previous emperor and the cabinet handled government affairs at that time, and thus broadened his horizons and gained more knowledge?"

Lu Bainian seemed to be thinking about something. "You are right. I also think that he has a good overall view in his articles now. Some of his ideas are far-sighted and cannot be compared with the shallow young people in the past. He has been accompanying the emperor in the palace for several months. Even though he has been recuperating for a long time, what he has learned is far more than what he has learned from studying with us old bookworms for several years."

Lu Bainian sighed: "Although he encountered many dangers in the past few months, as long as his body is not seriously injured, he still gained a lot. How many scholars in the world can have such good fortune as him?"

After praising Jin Jiashu's progress, he also pointed out a few shortcomings: "His writing is still a little lacking. Although he has made some progress, his writing is still rather plain. If he meets an examiner who prefers plain writing, it would be fine. But if the examiner prefers ornate writing, his plain writing style will definitely be at a disadvantage. While it's still early, I have to ask him to learn a different style of writing so that he won't suffer in the exam."

Haitang was puzzled. "Although candidates can change their writing style to please the examiner and increase their chances of passing the exam, Brother Jin's writing style is simple. If he changes too much, won't it be easy to make mistakes? His foundation is weak. If he uses fancy words and piles up allusions, how can he compare with those children of noble families who have been studying with famous masters since childhood? I'm afraid that the time is too short and he won't learn well, and he will become a jack of all trades..."

Lu Bainian waved his hand, "Don't worry, don't I understand this principle? I don't want him to change his writing style, I just need to practice in advance. What if during the provincial examination, the test questions require him to use more allusions, and the examiner prefers flowery words, he can't go against it everywhere, right? At least he should have some ideas in his mind and be able to write when needed." He hesitated, "If I'm not mistaken, the chief examiner of the Beijing Municipal Examination next year will most likely be selected from the old students of Wumen, maybe our old friend. I am familiar with their writing style. There are several people who were famous in the past. They all prefer to use allusions and love magnificent and majestic articles, not plain and simple articles. If Jiashu can't prepare in advance, he may suffer."

Haitang was a little surprised: "Grandpa Lu, what inside information did you get?"

It's not that Lu Bainian heard any inside information. He just saw more old friends recently and heard about their new plans for the coming year, so he had some guesses in his mind.

He could only say, "The candidates may not have been decided yet, so I can't guarantee that I know what the examiners will like next year. But just in case, I will collect a few more essays from my old friends and show them to Jiashu later, so that he can have a better idea of ​​what kind of essays will be more in line with the examiners' wishes."

Lu Bainian is already over 60 years old, and has experienced a lot of things in the world. He is no longer aloof and rigid. Now that the students are thinking about him, how can he not help them a little more? This is not cheating in the imperial examination, but just a routine operation. There are many people who do this every year. He just took that step earlier than others.