A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 77 Damn, Brother
Song Xuan noticed it just now.

Two people drinking at the next table.

There were seven or eight wine jars piled up at his feet.

There were many black porcelain bowls piled up on the table.

There was only half a plate of snacks left in the middle.

Or there is only enough space left to place a dish.

Most of the wine sold in the hotel is for customers to drink one bowl and then be refilled with another bowl.

This is to prevent the guests from getting drunk and refusing to pay.

Wu Song drank eighteen bowls of wine before fighting the tiger. He used eighteen bowls to count, not to complicate a simple matter.

This will reduce disputes between store owners and customers and make counting easier.

Even Shi Naian's descriptions of murder are extremely realistic, and it is obvious that he has a lot of life experience.

"I'm coming."

The wine doctor who was serving at the bureau just now came over immediately with a new bowl.

Song Xuan looked at Zhang Kang opposite him:
"Are these two drunkards regular customers?"

Zhang Kang nodded slightly and pointed at the person sitting next to him:

"This man was called Shi Yannian, the son of Shi Buzhi, a doctor of the Imperial Household. After Shi Jingtang ceded Youzhou to the Khitan, the ancestors of the Shi family left Youzhou and migrated to Songcheng.

It's not an exaggeration to say he comes from a family of officials, but in his generation, he repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, so he often drinks from morning till night."

Zhang Kang and Shi Yannian took the exam in the same year, and he was one of those who passed the exam on the first try.

Shi Yannian was older than him and was a long-time failure in the imperial examination.

It's a pity that he is just a calligrapher and not a painter.

"Oh I got it."

Song Xuan nodded. The Shi family and Shi Jingtang probably had no relatives.

As for the other one who was not introduced, it was because Zhang Kang didn’t know him.

It’s not that the alcohol content of the Song Dynasty’s wine is not strong enough. Just the fact that he can drink so much wine and have a whole plate of snacks to go with it is incredible.

There are many enzymes in the body that break down alcohol.

Especially when drinking in this restaurant, with someone in your family serving as an official, you don't have to worry about the money for the drinks.

Song Xuan withdrew his gaze and continued with other topics.

Bao Zheng did give a warning:

"I remember that Emperor Zhenzong selected those who failed the imperial examination three times and appointed them to the third class of officials. He could definitely become an official."

"He's not ashamed of it."

Zhang Kang also understood Shi Yannian's mentality.

Compared to the Tang Dynasty where children from aristocratic families were ashamed to take the imperial examinations, students in the Song Dynasty were different. They were proud to pass the imperial examinations and become officials.

For example, if he is promoted to an official position through ordinary means, wouldn’t he have the same status as a military general?

How can I hold my head up high then?
Especially with the status of a Jinshi, not only will one gain recognition from people around, but there is also an unspoken rule that it is easy to be promoted and get promoted faster than ordinary people.

Even though Shi Yannian drank so much, he was not very drunk.

He glanced over and realized that Song Xuan and the other unfamiliar faces were here to take the exam, so he extended his hand to greet them:
"My friend, meeting is fate, want to have a drink together?"

Song Xuan picked up the signature dish of Qinglou and said, "Thank you. I'm not good at drinking."

Shi Yannian did not invite anyone, but instead said to Liu Qian at the opposite table:

"Zhongfang, drink this cup to the full." Liu Qian also came to the academy to take the exam. He bumped into Shi Yannian on the street and started chatting with him. They hit it off immediately and made an appointment to come over for a drink.

Compared to his drinking buddy Shi Yannian, Liu Qian also loves wine, but he did not let it stop him from passing the imperial examination.

However, when he was leaving his term of office and passed by the area where Shi Yannian was an official, he drank heavily with Shi Yannian again.

He suddenly learned that his mother had passed away. He hurried home to attend the funeral. When he saw his mother's body, he had a convulsion and never woke up again.

Then his daughter-in-law saw him like this and she couldn't breathe. She hugged his body and cried to death.

Zhang Kang was extremely happy and would raise his glass with Shi Yannian and Liu Qian, two drunkards, from time to time.

Bao Zheng ate his food silently, still recalling today's instructions in his mind, trying to transform all of it into his own knowledge.

Song Xuan carefully savored the skills of the chef in this restaurant, and then asked Jiao Ming to bring his people to try it, and then improve a few dishes so that he could cook them at home.

Zhang Fangping was very interested in counting how many bowls of wine the two people next to him had drunk in addition to the eight jars.

This was the first time in his life that he had seen someone drink so much.

"Brother Twelve, I counted them. There are more than one hundred and twenty bowls."

"Oh."

Song Xuan had no expression on his face. Fang Ping had never been baptized by such a large amount of information. What was this?

He looked at the eldest brother's two brothers, drinking 120 bowls of pure liquor, which they shared between them. They directly called a semi-trailer to unload the liquor.

The two drunkards in front of him are nothing compared to him after three days of drinking for civil and three months for martial arts.

Zhang Fangping looked at Song Xuan's calm expression and understood.

The twelfth brother practices archery and can shoot an arrow through the target from a hundred paces away.

Even when facing an army of thousands, one must remain calm even if Mount Tai collapses in front of him, and remain unmoved even if a deer appears on his left.

Of course, this is what Song Xuan told Zhang Fangping.

After all, Su Xun has not yet written this book.

After eating and drinking his fill, Song Xuan stood up and glanced at the two drunkards, but didn't say anything more.

With such an example of someone who failed to pass the imperial examination many times, Song Xuan felt that he had more motivation to study.

Everyone was in high spirits, as this was a chance to see the world.

"Everyone, Shi Yannian is actually a talented person, but unfortunately he is unable to fully utilize his strengths in the imperial examinations."

Zhang Kang said with emotion: "This kind of person is definitely not an isolated case. Although the Song Dynasty favors scholars, most scholars cannot pass the imperial examination.

The road ahead is long and arduous, so the three of you should cherish the opportunity and never give up halfway, otherwise Shi Yannian will become your role model."

Song Xuan and the others thanked him, and after parting with Zhang Kang, Zhang Fangping asked:
"Twelfth Brother, I think they are sad in their hearts. Even if they drink and get drunk, they can't tell others about the bitterness in their hearts."

"People like this have suffered too many setbacks. If they were to face another major setback, it would be extremely easy for that string to snap, and they would never recover from it."

"That's the truth." Song Xuan also agreed.

Bao Zheng suddenly interrupted and said, "Given Twelve Lang's talent, even if he fails the exams many times, it would be enough for him to be a wealthy man."

Zhang Fangping frowned slightly and said, "Instead of worrying about your twelfth brother, you should worry about whether you can get into Yingtianfu Academy!"

"Hahaha." Song Xuan didn't care about these words:
"Brother Bao has a point. Maybe being a rich man at home is not bad, but being in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty is much more open and promising."

Zhang Fangping clapped his hands and laughed: "That's right, a rich man can do it at any time, but what's the point of becoming an official when he's old?"

Bao Zheng also deeply agreed with this statement. Compared with Song Xuan, he himself was too unambitious.

He passed the imperial examination to bring honor to his elderly parents, and he himself did not have much ambition in the officialdom.

While the three of them were talking, they returned to their rooms and read by lamplight at night.

(End of this chapter)