noffsinger Chapter 113 Recommended
Chapter 113 Recommended
There were no less than a hundred tables in the hall. Liu Zhao sat the farthest away, and the longevity character looked a little small to him.
The table was filled with longevity peaches, each one brightly colored and about the same size.
"Your Highness, would you like one? I'll peel it for you!"
"Okay, just call me brother!"
"How dare I!" Ma Zhuang was shocked.
"Just shout when I tell you to. What are you afraid of?" Liu Zhao emphasized.
"Forget it, then I'll call you brother!"
Ma Zhuang is very smart!
"You look older than me!" Liu Zhao was speechless.
"That doesn't matter!" Ma Zhuang would never dare to call him brother even if he was beaten to death!
As he spoke, he picked up the knife on the table, peeled a peach and handed it to Liu Zhao.
"So sweet!" Liu Zhao couldn't help but exclaim.
This is much more delicious than the yellow peaches of later generations!
At this time, the seats were gradually filled with guests, and only two tables for idle guests were still empty.
Except Liu Zhao and Ma Zhuang.
Liu Zhao couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.
Fortunately, another person came and took the initiative to sit with Liu Zhao.
"Brothers, how good morning! My name is Luo Tong. May I ask your names, brothers?"
"Andy Lau, my brother Liu Dezhu!"
Since Liu Zhao was speaking, Ma Zhuang certainly didn't dare to say anything careless.
"Nice name!" Luo Tong looked at Ma Zhuang, who was obviously older than Liu Zhao, so how come he was the younger brother!
But I didn’t say much!
Then a few more people came, and they were all very polite. They introduced themselves after sitting down.
Their names are Xu Shao, Zhu Tao, Fang Ming, Zhang Li and Xiong Feng.
"Brother Luo Tong, it seems like you were here last year!" Xiong Feng was the last to arrive and asked Luo Tong.
"That's right, Brother Xiong seemed to be sitting opposite me last year!" Luo Tong also remembered.
"Yes, I've been here for five years!"
Xiong Feng looks older than everyone else.
"Fifth year?"
Even Liu Zhao was a little curious.
Have you come to celebrate birthdays for the past five years?
"I don't recognize you guys. Is this your first time?"
"Yes!"
Several people nodded.
"I've been here for five years and I haven't even gotten to know anyone, let alone get a recommendation. It's difficult!"
Xiong Feng said seriously.
"Brother Xiong is right. The guests at the table in front were all invited by the host. Even if they are recommended in October, they may not be able to get the position, let alone us who are unknown and faceless!"
"Recommend? Recommend what?" Liu Zhao couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Little brother, you must be kidding!"
Xiong Feng asked.
"No, what's wrong?" Liu Zhao really didn't understand. Isn't this a birthday celebration?
"Little brother, how much is your gift?" Xiong Feng was obviously a little surprised.
"We brothers, ten taels of gold each!"
Liu Zhao answered truthfully.
"Ten taels of gold each?" The other six people looked at the two of them.
"What? Too much or too little?"
Xiong Feng shook his head: "This is the first time I've heard that someone can get in with just ten taels of gold. If I had known this earlier, I would have gotten ten taels of gold too!"
"How many are you?"
"If I guess correctly, each of you brothers should be worth 100 taels!"
Several people nodded.
"Isn't it just a birthday celebration? Why use so much gold?"
"Little brother, you really don't know, you're using ten taels of gold to beg for money!"
"That's about right! My brother and I were passing by and heard people praising Master Deng. Out of curiosity, we decided to come in and take a look!"
"No wonder!" Luo Tong said, "Which county are you from?"
"Qi Yang!" Liu Zhao remembered this place name.
"Qi Yang? That's not in Henan. Why did you run so far?"
“Visiting relatives!”
"Visiting relatives, Qiyang is hundreds of miles away! Do you have any relatives living so far away?"
"My dear, since you live far away, why aren't you here to celebrate your birthday?"
"Brother, do you know who this Master Deng is?"
"do not know!"
Liu Zhao shook his head.
"Then have you heard of the current Duke of Beiyang, Minister Wei Huan?"
"Wei Huan?" Liu Zhao might not know about others, but he knew Wei Huan very well.
But he immediately shook his head.
"No wonder you didn't know!" Xiong Feng smiled, "Mr. Beiyang is Mr. Deng's son-in-law!"
"Ah?" This really surprised Liu Zhao.
"So what?"
"Brother, you don't know that although today is Master Deng's birthday banquet, it is actually our Henan County's recommendation meeting!"
"Recommend, recommend what!"
The more Liu Zhao listened, the more curious he became.
"Brother Luo Tong, tell Brother Dehua what you have said! I'm so thirsty that my mouth is dry!" Xiong Feng picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.
"Brother, don't you know that in our Dajing Dynasty, if you want to be an official, if you are not the son of an official, you must be recommended!"
"Recommend, recommend him to be an official?"
"That's right, look! Our Great Jing Dynasty has a total of twenty states, each state has about ten counties, and each county has about five counties under its jurisdiction. Some have more, like our Henan County, with twelve counties, while some have fewer, like Liaodong, with only three counties!"
Such a large area?
Liu Zhao was truly eye-opening.
Somewhat unexpected.
"Every year the imperial court selects two people from each county to serve as officials!"
Luo Tong was afraid that Liu Zhao might not understand, so he explained it to him.
"Henan County already has 24 spots, and since we've been hit by this rare flood this year, according to convention, each county can add two more spots! That makes 48!"
Listening to Luo Tong's story, Liu Zhao couldn't help but admire him.
These people seem to be somewhat educated.
"So, who decides these forty-eight places?"
"Master Deng?" Liu Zhao widened his eyes.
"Wrong, it's Henan Yin Yuchun!"
"Yu Chun?" Liu Zhao had an impression of him. "What does that have to do with Master Deng?"
"Yu Chun is a third-rank official, and he is also a relative of Duke Beiyang!"
"Yu Chun and Wei Huan are relatives?" Liu Zhao could never have imagined this!
"Yeah! Now you understand!"
"I understand a little bit!" Liu Zhao was secretly shocked.
"But there are at least a hundred people here. How can he recommend someone?"
"This guy can still get in. Who knows how many people out there can't gather a hundred taels of gold!"
Xiong Feng interjected.
"It's really rare to see someone like you coming in with ten taels of gold!"
"Hehe! I've already paid a hundred taels of gold, so how can I recommend you?" Liu Zhao smiled.
"The imperial court has six recommended subjects: filial piety, honesty, knowledge of classics, knowledge of law, knowledge of military affairs, and knowledge of yin and yang. Master Deng is simply recommending these people to participate in the Henan County examination!"
"Does a filial and honest person also have to take the imperial examination?" Liu Zhao thought that a filial and honest person only needed to be recommended.
"Of course we have to take the exam! Those who are recommended will go to Luojing for the imperial examination in October. Some of those who pass the exam can stay in Luojing to serve, while others can be appointed as minor officials in various counties! If you have a backer in the court, it's possible to be directly demoted to become a county magistrate!"
"so good?"
"Brother, how come you don't know anything? Have you ever read any books?" Xiong Feng asked with some disdain.
"I've read a little, but very little!" Liu Zhao didn't want to show off.
"If Master Deng doesn't recommend me, then does it depend on money?"
"That's not necessarily true. Master Deng is quite fair. There will be a competition soon, and whoever wins will get the recommendation spot this year!"
"Isn't this a behind-the-scenes operation?" Liu Zhao muttered.
"Backroom operation? What does that mean?"
Luo Tong obviously didn't quite understand.
"Whoever Master Deng wants to go up, he can go up!"
"Brother, you are wrong, extremely wrong!" Xiong Feng continued.
Luo Tong stopped talking.
Liu Zhao didn't say anything either, and listened to Xiong Feng's opinions.
"Master Deng is one of the three elders recommended by the imperial court. In Henan County, his words can make medicine!"
"Third elder, where is the second elder?"
"You'll see it in a moment!"
"Uh!" The more Liu Zhao listened, the more complicated it became. This recommendation was not as simple as he had imagined!
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the hall called out, "Master Deng is here!"
Everyone stood up.
Liu Zhao also stood up.