Prime Minister

Chapter 1246 Classmates Are Not Cheap When They Are Young

Chapter 1246 Classmates Are Not Cheap When They Are Young

Bianjing suddenly became cold, just when Han Zhongyan was on his diplomatic mission to the Liao Kingdom.

The provincial examination, held every three years, also begins.

That day at the Imperial College, after Zhang Yue's words "If you are afraid of death, don't enter this door; if you want to get promoted and make money, please go elsewhere", the enthusiasm of scholars to discuss politics was ignited.

Especially during the annual provincial examination, scholars from all over the world gathered in Bian Jing.

The tradition of scholars asking about politics has been around since ancient times, and the debate over whether or not to fight a war with the Khitan for the sake of Liangzhou has been going on for several days.

However, even among the scholars, they are a mob. As long as such discussions begin, there will be positive and negative sides.

Although many people supported a war with the Khitan, there were also many opponents. Among them, scholars from Hebei had interests involved and many of them opposed it.

There are also some people who are unwilling to abandon Liangzhou, but also unwilling to go to war with the Khitan, and they offer advice in between, but unfortunately they are all a joke.

……

Now Zhang Yue was walking around in the mansion. He had no time to think about anything else, but was waiting for a distinguished guest to visit.

Soon, the sound of carriages was heard in the courtyard. Zhang Yue immediately pushed the door open and saw a man with white hair slowly getting out of the car with the help of Huang Haoyi and Peng Jingyi.

Zhang Yue also took two steps forward, looked at the other person's face and said, "Senior Brother!"

"Bye...meet the Prime Minister!"

Seeing the other party being reserved, Zhang Yue shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Senior Brother."

Guo Lin said, "Prime Minister, please forgive me for not addressing you as I did before."

Zhang Yue nodded and said, "I save that."

Zhang Yue looked at Guo Lin's white hair and thin face and shook his head. Brother Guo looked like a man in his sixties. It seemed that editing and writing a book was really too time-consuming and laborious.

But his eyes were still as gentle as ever.

"Brother, it's cold outside, let's talk inside."

Zhang Yue helped Guo Lin and the other man into the room and sat opposite each other. Guo Lin said, "I came here to see Guo Xuan and will leave after seeing him. I dare not disturb the Prime Minister any more."

Zhang Yue said, "Brother, what are you talking about? Since you are here, you should at least stay for a while before leaving. I have written to you many times, asking you to bring your family from Western Kyoto to live in Tokyo, but you always refused."

After hearing what Zhang Yue said, Guo Lin said, "Prime Minister, this is the last point I insist on as your senior brother."

"Now the difference between you and me is like heaven and earth. If I receive any more benefits, I am afraid I will never be able to sit here and talk to you from the bottom of my heart again."

"In fact, it is enough for the world to know that I, Guo Lin, have a junior fellow who became the prime minister."

Zhang Yue sighed upon hearing this and waved his hand to signal Guo Lin not to mention it again.

Guo Lin continued: "Do you remember what we talked about back then?"

"How high is the sky? Prime Minister, you have already seen it for me, so I have seen it too."

Zhang Yue heard this and said, "That was a thing of the past. It doesn't matter whether you watch it or not."

Guo Lin said sternly: "Prime Minister, if we scholars live in the world, we should manage the universe, balance yin and yang, and be the teacher of the world!"

"If I am born, I will write books and history, set an example for future generations, and become a teacher for all eternity!"

"People have good or bad luck, just like what Zhuangzi said about the changes between wooden geese and dragons and snakes. When they go out, they make a loud cry and shock a hundred miles away; when they lie low, they hide in the nine abysses, accumulating ambitions and making themselves known. But if you can go in and out of the nine heavens, it is better to go there once."

Zhang Yue said: "Brother, I remember when you and I were studying, you said that you liked Fan Wenzheng's words the most, 'Worry about the world before you worry about yourself, and be happy after the world is happy'."

"But I like the line 'Gathering knowledge into an ocean, I can swallow the nine rivers and respect the hundreds of valleys; sharpening words into a sharp edge, I can cut through the floating clouds and cut the fine jade'."

Guo Lin smiled and said, "The next sentence is 'The scholars of today are either pure and ancient, or depressed by the times. Some are as majestic as the clouds, or as deep as the abyss.'"

At this point, Zhang Yue and Guo Lin both laughed.

This is exactly what the two of them are aspiring to do now.

The two of them started talking about their youth and sat there reminiscing about the past.

If it were someone else, they would definitely not understand.

If you have a close childhood friend who is now the prime minister, how can you go twenty years without asking him to do anything for you, and how can you go twenty years without seeking a position for yourself?

How many people can do this?

Zhang Yue had a relative before he traveled through time. Although he was not a high-ranking official, he was very powerful. When he was in office, he treated you impartially. If you asked him to take care of something, he would be rejected 99% of the time. When you chat with him, he always seems to be very secretive.

After retirement, he suddenly became warm and approachable. He would tell you everything he knew, even gossip about family matters.

Zhang Yue hated him at first, but now he has almost become like this relative.

It's not that a rolling pin turns into a police baton or a local dog eats the emperor's food. It's just that most people will get back to the topic after reminiscing about the past, but some people use more sophisticated methods while others use more superficial methods.

I designed a button in the previous sentence, but in the end I unknowingly came back to it.

But it cannot be denied that there are many people who come to you simply to reminisce about the past.

Guo Lin asked: "Prime Minister, does the court really want to go to war with the Liao Kingdom?"

Zhang Yue said: "Brother, to be honest, this is the most difficult thing for me to say to you."

Guo Lin said: "It is right for the Prime Minister not to say anything. But now the streets are all talking about this matter. If there is a way in the world, the common people will not discuss it. Now the people are discussing this matter, I think it must be quite difficult. It is not appropriate to meddle in other people's affairs. I have gone too far to say this. The Prime Minister should make a decision."

Zhang Yue smiled and said, "I don't need to ask. You are asking on behalf of Sima Xueshi, right? Is he in good health?"

Guo Lin shook his head and said, "Not good. Scholar Sima is the person I admire most in my life after Fan Wenzheng."

Zhang Yue asked, "Brother, I heard that you have a daughter who just came of age last year?"

"Yes, she came of age last autumn. I have not been in good health in the past few years, and it was all thanks to her that I took care of myself at home with herbal medicine." Guo Lin smiled as he talked about his daughter.

She is a filial woman... Zhang Yue asked, "Have you promised her?"

Guo Lin shook his head and said, "The poor family cannot compare to the ladies from rich families. No one will look up to them. They are rough and straightforward, and only know some simple women's work."

Zhang Yue smiled slightly when he heard this and said, "That's not what I heard. Senior brother, you are a scholar and a good writer. Although your family is poor, the children you raise must be hardworking and thrifty. I admire Guo Xuan very much, and you, the daughter of the Guo family, think the same way."

Guo Lin was surprised and asked, "Prime Minister, what does this mean?"

Zhang Yue said, "Since we have finally invited you to come to Bianjing City, we can't let you come here in vain. My Sanlang is still unmarried. You can meet him later. If you like him, we can compare the horoscopes of the two children."

Guo Lin was dumbfounded.

Zhang Yue said quickly: "Brother, don't worry. Although this is the prime minister's residence, there are not many rules."

"As for my Sanlang, he is not that kind of playboy, and he will definitely not delay your daughter."

Zhang Yue thought to himself that Zeng Gong had taken a fancy to him and wanted to give his sister to him. Thinking about it now, he still felt a little regretful. It's not that Shiqi Niang is not good, but there are too many soft nails in her pocket.

I haven't discussed this matter with Shiqi Niang yet, so I'm acting on my own.

At this time, the outside world reported, and Guo Xuan and Zhang Cheng both returned to the mansion.

Zhang Yue immediately pulled Guo Lin into the lobby and watched Guo Xuan and Zhang Cheng enter together.

Guo Xuan was very happy to see his father, but Zhang Cheng was a little reserved. Guo Lin looked at Zhang Cheng carefully and asked, "What books have you read recently, nephew?"

Zhang Cheng said: "Reporting to Uncle Guo..."

Zhang Cheng answered them one by one.

After hearing this, Guo Lin's frown gradually relaxed. It was obvious that Zhang Cheng had put in a lot of effort in his studies, but he was quite like himself when he was young, working very hard but limited by his talent and unable to see where the path was.

It is very difficult to take one step at a time, and you have to rely on yourself to explore, just like a blind man feeling an elephant.

Guo Lin said to Zhang Cheng: "The way to study is to learn from the bottom up and then move on to the top. But where that step is is a matter of personal experience. It can be known in the heart but cannot be expressed in words."

After hearing what Guo Lin said, others would think that Guo Lin didn't like Zhang Cheng and thought that he didn't know how to learn. However, Zhang Yue knew that Guo Lin was imparting his own experience.

Zhang Cheng seemed to understand what he said. Guo Lin looked at Zhang Yue and nodded, obviously taking a liking to Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Yue stroked his beard and smiled, feeling extremely relieved.

In the evening, a sumptuous banquet was set up. Huang Lu, Huang Haoyi, Peng Jingyi and others, Zhang Yue and Guo Lin sat at a round table and drank.

"My classmates are not poor when they are young, and their clothes and horses are light and fat."

After three cups of wine, Guo Lin sighed sincerely.

Zhang Yue smiled. Several people present were once his classmates, and now they are walking on different paths in life.

He said: "After the imperial examination, I said that I would go to school with my son, but I would return home empty-handed when I am old. It has been more than 20 years in a flash."

Huang Haoyi has the worst alcohol tolerance, but he likes to speak nonsense when he is drunk.

After three rounds of drinking today, Huang Haoyi was obviously drunk, and said with a bitter face: "I still remember the words of the Prime Minister back then. Among us poor children, if you have morals like Brother Guo, although you are poor, you are respected wherever you go. Everyone looks up to you."

"Or like He Qixiangqi, who tried hard to gain a good fortune from the beginning, he might not end up with a good outcome or good luck in the end, but he was glorious at the time anyway."

"To be like a prime minister, to be admired and respected by others, you need to have real ability."

"The most taboo thing is someone like me. I don't have any skills to show off. I can't learn anything. I wanted to take the right path at first, but I couldn't learn morality, and I couldn't get into the business of scheming. It was really uncomfortable."

Zhang Yue said: "I borrowed this from someone else. I just want to tell you."

Huang Haoyi said: "I didn't listen to the Prime Minister. People either want to be meticulous or to be unique. I didn't want to be either. It seems that I have spent a lot of effort. If I want to be noble, others will say I am stupid. If I want to be cunning, others will look down on me. In the end, I still end up in failure."

Huang Lu said, "Silang, you are drunk. Those who lie low for a long time will surely fly high, and those who bloom first will surely wither early. No one in this world can predict for sure."

Huang Haoyi opened his drunken eyes and said: "Among all my classmates, you have the best attitude from beginning to end. You were like this when you were studying, and you are still like this after you became an official."

Huang Lu said: "What's good or bad? People are high without asking for help from others. High and low are all created by oneself. Many people live an ordinary life, which is not bad. This kind of life is what Sanlang and I dream of now."

Huang Lu was right. There are many people who think that everything will go smoothly when they reach their position.

"I'm afraid no one will believe what you say?" Huang Haoyi said.

Huang Lu said: "If Sanlang retires in two years, I will immediately resign from my position to accompany him no matter what position I hold!"

Everyone was surprised. They didn't expect that Huang Lu and Zhang Yue had such a deep friendship. They would advance and retreat together!

Zhang Yue knew Huang Lu’s ambition.

Perhaps he was appointed as the Three-Department Envoy only because of his own recruitment, and he truly regarded fame and fortune as dirt and wealth as clouds.

Zhang Yue immediately drank a cup with Huang Lu but complained in his heart. He was going to appoint Huang Lu as the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, but he didn't expect that Huang Lu seemed to know his intention and blocked his mouth in advance.

Reminiscing about the past is reminiscing about the past, and by this point the wine had already tasted bland. Everyone drank a few more glasses, and Zhang Yue saw that Huang Haoyi was already extremely drunk, so he immediately dispersed the party.