"Since it is a temporary competition, you should write what you want now so that you can show your ability." Xu Chengyu started walking in the yard with his hands behind his back. "This time there will be no test on poetry, no test on the Four Books, no test on current affairs, only discussion.

There is no limit to the number of words, no limit to the angle, no limit to the time, just finish writing. Listen up, the title is - The Way of Being a Minister."

"The way to be a minister?" Hearing this, Gu Yunji and Fang Zigui were both a little surprised.

Xu Chengyu smiled slightly: "Everyone knows that Luxi Academy is famous for its imperial examinations, so naturally my disciples, Xu Chengyu, will also become officials. In the officialdom, how to do things, how to communicate with colleagues, and how to serve the emperor are all very sophisticated.

knowledge."

"I took this title as a question just to see what you think and what your character is like. There are different opinions on how to be an official. It may be incorruptible, upright, or prudent and self-protective. There is no final conclusion. I will only know how to be an official.

From your papers, choose the one that is closest to my thoughts. That’s it, you two, start answering.”

After hearing these words, Fang Zigui seemed to have made up his mind and immediately started writing.

For Gu Yunji, the most important thing in this competition is not how to answer the questions, but to understand Xu Chengyu's mind and answer in this direction. But he doesn't understand Xu Chengyu, nor does he know that he is doing a good job as a minister.

attitude on the issue.

I can only take a gamble. Gu Yunji thought to himself.

Recently, he felt more and more that the Great Xia Dynasty he was in was in parallel time and space with his previous life. The current time point was probably in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, party strife gradually became apparent, and the civil service group became a huge force that could even compete with the emperor.

, then this era may be the same.

I heard Gao Cheng say before that when Xu Chengyu was young, he pulled the sleeves of the late emperor and spoke out to remonstrate with him. This shows that to some extent, he was inclined to believe that ministers should have their own persistence and bottom line, instead of blindly catering to the emperor and losing the support of scholar-bureaucrats.

Conduct.

In other words, Xu Chengyu believed that ministers should not be afraid of the power of heaven and dare to correct the emperor's mistakes. Those so-called ministers should be grateful for the emperor's kindness and be loyal to the emperor. He may not agree with him.

So, Gu Yunji followed this idea and quickly finished the article.

"Sir, the students have finished their answers." Almost at the same time as Gu Yunji handed in his paper, Fang Zigui also stood up and handed over his paper not to be outdone.

Looking at the two papers in front of him, Xu Chengyu hesitated for a moment and picked up Fang Zigui's first.

Seeing this, Fang Zigui showed a proud smile to Gu Yunji. Gu Yunji was too lazy to pay attention to him, and just stared at Xu Chengyu, watching the change of expression on his face.

Xu Chengyu looked as usual, nodding and smiling from time to time, without much change on his face. After a while, he finished reading the paper and said to Fang Zigui: "Well, in just a few months, Zigui's articles have made great progress. Not bad.

.”

Fang Zigui raised his chin slightly when he heard this, and his tail almost turned up with pride. Then, Xu Chengyu picked up Gu Yunji's paper and looked at it.

The contents of the two papers were obviously about the same length, but Xu Chengyu looked at them longer this time, with his brows sometimes frowning and sometimes relaxing, making it difficult to understand what he was thinking in his heart. Gu Yunji was unsure, and he was so nervous that his hands were covered with sweat and he couldn't take his eyes away.

Staring at Xu Chengyu.

Su Qi, who had been waiting until now and watched the whole process, was also a little anxious. He came over and whispered to Gu Yunji: "Why did Xu Shanzhang look at it for so long? What did you write? Are you sure you can beat Fang Zigui?"

"I don't know why he watched him for so long." Gu Yunji let go of his fingers that were turned white by his pinching, "As for whether he can beat Fang Zigui, to be honest, I'm not sure."

At this time, Xu Chengyu suddenly laughed out loud: "Hahahahahaha! Good! Good! Good!" He said three good words in a row, which showed that he was in a happy mood.

Xu Chengyu put down the paper in his hand and looked at Gu Yunji with sharp eyes: "'The Holy Emperor rules with his hands, and all ministers follow orders.' Well said! There is also the difference between loyal ministers and good ministers. Loyal ministers flatter their ministers, but trap the king.

There is no name for unrighteousness. A good minister advises the king, so that the king and his ministers can be harmonious, and the good name will be passed down forever. It really speaks to my heart!"

With that said, he walked over and patted Gu Yunji on the shoulder happily: "I saw it right, you kid is too good for my liking!"

When Gu Yunji saw this, a big stone finally fell from his heart, he relaxed and a smile appeared on his face.

Fang Zigui looked at the situation in front of him with a look of disbelief. He picked up Gu Yunji's paper and read it again and again.

Xu Chengyu turned around, looked at him and said: "Zi Gui, your writing is not bad. It has the style of an ancient minister, but unfortunately it is not what I want. This is also the reason why I don't accept you as my disciple. You are very

People who work hard are also talented, but you and I are not on the same path, and there is no fate between master and disciple."

"You can just look at each other's papers and you'll be able to understand the differences between you and the other person."

Hearing this, Gu Yunji also picked up Fang Zigui's paper and looked at it. Throughout the article, Fang Zigui was describing how to be an upright and good official who is wealthy but not promiscuous. He mentioned at most two sentences about being loyal to the monarch and not forming cliques for personal gain.

The focus is on the relationship between monarch and ministers that Xu Chengyu is most concerned about.

His writing style is very good, and his rhetoric is a bit more gorgeous than Gu Yunji's. He does have some ability. It's a pity that his thinking is too rigid. From beginning to end, the article seems to tell that the king is the minister, and he must stick to his duties as a minister.

, lacks some vision and courage to serve as the lord of the world.

After watching this for a long time, Fang Zigui also understood the difference between the two. He raised his head and asked Gu Yunji: "How did you think of this from the words "the way of being a minister"?

Gu Yunji said: "It's very simple. Ministers are between the king and the people. They serve the king above and the people below. China has been in China for thousands of years. There is no end to the changes of dynasties. Loyalty to one king and one king will eventually come to naught. It will not last long."

way."

"The world belongs to the people. The king sits in the world, his ministers govern the world, and the people enjoy the world. As a minister, you must speak for the people, think for the country, advise the king, and cherish the people's strength. This is a good minister. He likes what the king likes, but hates the king.

What is evil seems to be loyalty, but it is actually a great traitor. We who are familiar with the classics and history should have our own ethics and conduct, and take it as our duty to advise the king."

After hearing these words, Fang Zigui took a long time to come back to his senses. He took a deep look at Gu Yunji and said, "I've been taught a lesson. You deserve to be the personal disciple of Chief Xu Shan." After that, he didn't care about anyone else.

Turn around and leave.

Su Qi looked excited: "So, Gu Yunji won?"

"Yes, he won." Xu Chengyu walked over with a smile, "From today on, you, Gu Yunji, will be my close disciple."

Gu Yunji knelt down without hesitation: "Disciple Gu Yunji, pay your respects to the teacher!"
Chapter completed!