Someone in the room called out “wait a moment”, and then called “mother-in-law”. The person who just asked the question should be Zhu Xiucai’s wife.

　　Gu Zhao and Li Zhouzhou waited for a while before someone opened the door. It was an old woman, probably Zhu Xiucai’s mother.

　　Zhu Xiucai passed the imperial examination last year when he was only 22 years old. People in ancient times got married and started families early, so Zhu Xiucai’s mother was estimated to be around 40 years old. However, the woman in front of him had gray hair on her temples and a bent back, so she looked to be in her 50s or 60s.

　　After the pleasantries, Zhu Xiucai’s mother invited the two men to come into the house and sit down.

　　Zhu Xiucai’s house has a small courtyard and the three main rooms are also small, with tiled roofs and mud walls. Li Zhouzhou looked at it for a while and it seemed that a wall was built between the two main rooms to separate them into three rooms. He knew this was the case after he went in.

　　The light in the house was poor, and the main room had windows, so even in winter, there was still enough light in the morning. The Zhu family’s main room was dark and cold, and they didn’t light the stove.

　　”My family is poor, sorry to embarrass myself.” Zhu Xiucai said with a bow.

　　This is just a modesty. Gu Zhao certainly can’t say that your family is really poor, that would be foolish. He quickly laughed and said, “No, every family is the same.”

　　Zhu Xiucai’s mother served some hot tea and went to the kitchen.

　　Gu Zhao explained his purpose to Zhu Xiucai, and of course he said nice things. He first praised Zhu Xiucai, saying that Zhu Xiucai was well-educated and passed the examination at a young age, unlike last year when he was criticized as a negative example. He really felt ashamed of his teacher and had no face to study. But if he didn’t study, he couldn’t lift his hands or work in the fields. He was unwilling to give up and wanted to try again…

　　He pulled himself up and lifted up Zhu Xiucai, and found that the expression on Zhu Xiucai’s face was much more relaxed.

　　It turns out that everyone likes to hear nice words.

　　After saying this, Zhu Xiucai’s serious expression relaxed a little. He also comforted Gu Zhao by saying that he was only a scholar of twenty-two, meaning that Gu Zhao should not be discouraged.

　　”The reason I came to visit you this time is, first, to thank Brother Zhu for recommending the four books last time. I bought two of them in town. Secondly, I came to ask if Brother Zhu could help me bring the remaining two books. My home is far from the prefecture and county, so it is inconvenient for me to go there, so I have the audacity to bother Brother Zhu.” Gu Zhao bowed.

　　Zhu Xiucai said: “After the Lantern Festival, I will leave for the prefecture and county, and it may be July before I come back next time.”

　　What he meant was that if Gu Zhao was not in a hurry to get it, he would help bring it.

　　”Gu can wait. I’m not afraid of being laughed at by Brother Zhu. After the college entrance examination last year, I neglected my studies for more than a year. Now I’m picking up what I used to do.”

　　After Gu Zhao said this, Zhu Xiucai agreed, saying that the printed version of the two books from the prefecture and county would cost two taels of silver each, and the handwritten version would cost one and a half taels of silver. Gu Zhao then said that the handwritten version would be fine.

　　Li Zhouzhou had never found a chance to go to the kitchen, so he stayed to listen to his husband and Zhu Xiucai talking. Now he finally needed his help, so he quickly took out three taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to his husband.

　　At that time, scholars valued trust. When Gu Zhao asked someone to do something for him, he couldn’t ask them to write a written agreement. If he dared to say this, Zhu Xiucai would immediately kick him out. Do you believe it?

　　Who is this insulting?

　　He immediately handed the silver to Zhu Xiucai.

　　Zhu Xiucai took the silver and talked for a while, telling him some things about the prefectural school. For example, if a scholar passed the exam, it would be very easy to enter the prefectural school if he ranked high, but if he ranked low, he would need a letter of recommendation from the teacher and be tested again and again before he could stay.

　　A prefectural school is an official school established by a prefecture or county, and students must be scholars to be admitted.

　　After entering the provincial school, there are examinations every month. If you come first in every exam, the provincial school will reward you with three taels of silver.

　　”… Zhu has no education and has never obtained anything, but I am given rice and flour every month, so I never go hungry.” said Zhu Xiucai.

　　Gu Zhao translated: The provincial school provides meals.

　　Accommodation and meals are all covered by the government. The policy is very good.

　　The prefectural school has two holidays a year, in July and during the Chinese New Year. Originally, there was no July holiday. More than ten years ago, in an imperial examination, the runner-up in the palace examination was a farmer’s son. This was a rare event, so Emperor Kang Jing asked a few more questions about the farmer’s family.