Lai Ji was seventeen years old this year.
He once dreamed of being like the scholars in the city, wearing clothes that would make the girls in the brothels in Luo Zhou scream in fright.
But …
He was poor!
He was so poor that all he had left was to weave and sell baskets all day.
It was fine in the past. His father got married when he was old and had him when he was forty years old. Previously, when he saw that the cooperative was established, good days were coming. His father wanted him to go to school, but he didn't expect that a plague of locusts would cause so much trouble that there was nothing left. He couldn't even afford the rent this year.
He had also made plans with a few of his good friends to become officials together when the time came. Hao Chujun was especially happy. However, because of a plague of locusts, everyone seemed to have met with disaster.
However, Lai Ji was a little confused when his mother suddenly hugged him and cried.
"Mother, you, what's wrong with you?"
"Old woman, you … what are you talking about? Speak properly! Ji 'er, go make a bowl of porridge for your mother! "
"Oh, oh, oh!"
Lai Ji remembered that his mother had left early in the morning after cooking porridge. It was already past noon, so she must be hungry. He hurriedly wanted to leave, but Madam Lai hugged him.
"No, I'm not hungry. Now, from today onwards, don't do such vulgar things!"
Old Lai's eyes widened when he heard that.
"Old woman, if you don't explain yourself today, Lao Tzu will skin you alive!"
"Come on! Come on! Come on if you have the ability. You only know how to weave baskets. Do you want your son to be like you in the future? "
"Look, what's this?"
This was the first time in seventeen years that Madam Lai was angry. She even threw a ball of crumpled stuff at Old Lai's face.
Old Lai couldn't recognize words. He was stunned when he saw the densely packed words and a red thing.
He recognized this thing. It was the thing that was posted at the city gate or the entrance of the government office, but …
"Old woman, what's this?"
"Tell me!"
Lai shi sobbed as she hugged Lai Ji and cried loudly.
"Early this morning, someone came from the palace. I heard that His Majesty had decreed that all the children from poor families should go to the academy in Chang 'an to study. He also said that they would not need to pay and would be provided with food. When they graduate in three years, they could be given an official position. At the very least, they would be able to work in the royal family's industry …"
"For this, I spent a copper coin to find out more about it."
Old Lai automatically filtered out the one copper coin. Although that one copper coin was basically a family's daily rations, what about now?
Compared to a single copper coin, he was willing to let go of this opportunity to let his only son and his old Lai family rise to prominence.
"Old woman, you … you, he … you talk nicely. I'll get you some rice. Have some food first. Slow down, slow down. Oh right, chicken, you motherf * cker, go buy some offerings and kill an old hen. Later, we'll go to the ancestral grave to worship our ancestors!"
He was ecstatic in his old age.
Even when he walked, there was wind behind him.
"My son is going to be an official. My son is going to rise to prominence. Hahaha, my Lai family is finally going to have a great talent!"
"Hahaha, so Old Father was right. My Lai family really did have a great talent!"
"…"
Lai Ji was speechless.
But this matter really had a huge impact on him.
So much so that he wanted to go to the city immediately to see if what his mother said was true.
Moreover, he wanted to find Hao Chujun and the others immediately to see if they would go. Perhaps, they knew about this matter.
But before he went out.
He met Hao Chujun and the others who were hurrying over.
"Lai Ji, Lai Ji! What are you doing? Quickly pack your things. We're going to Chang 'an! "
"Brother Lai Ji, good luck has fallen from the sky! Hahaha, it's really good luck! There's a White Deer College in Chang 'an City. Do you know about it? "
"Let's go. Although the construction of that place hasn't started yet, the Emperor has issued an imperial edict. What does this mean? This means that the Emperor has set his sights on this place. Then, we'll be able to become officials! "
The three of them ran breathlessly to the Lai family as they ran.
Their voices were heard by Lai Ji's father immediately. Hearing this, Lai Ji's father hurriedly turned around and handed the wad of paper in his hand to Hao Chujun.
"Look at this. Are you sure this is Li Erlang's imperial edict?"
Hao Chujun nodded without looking.
"Yes, it's exactly this! Now, the entire Luo Zhou City is filled with this thing. I even heard that this thing … "
"Hahaha, it's true, it's true. This woman didn't lie to me!"
"My Lai family is finally going to have someone who can read and write and can become an official!"
"Hahaha!"
After receiving the affirmation from Hao Chujun and the others, Lai Ji's father danced like a madman.
"Woman, quickly go and get me a jar of wine! I want to drink wine today. Oh right, cook those pickled wild rabbit meat for me. Today is our family's New Year! "
Lai Ji felt that everything had gone crazy today.
Old Father had gone crazy.
Old Mother had gone crazy.
Hao Chujun and the others had gone crazy. Even he had gone crazy.
Why did all of this seem so unreal to him?
Was there really such a good thing in this world?
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