Chapter 352 Letter of Recommendation
Cousin He Shujin was really testing Sun Shan's academic performance for a full hour. Sun Shan was so thirsty from talking that he quickly drank some water to moisten his throat.
He Shujin was silent for a while, then turned to Sun Shan and said seriously: "Shanzi, your foundation in the Four Books and Five Classics is very solid, but the breadth and depth are not enough. Your reading range is average and needs to be improved. Moreover, your opinions are quite conventional and lack any highlights. This has both advantages and disadvantages. It mainly depends on the examiner you meet."
After a pause, He Shujin continued, "The evidence for the article is there, but the proof is not sufficient. This needs to be strengthened."
Sun Shan was silent for a while, then nodded and said, "Brother, I know all this. When I was studying, there was always a veil that blocked my thinking. Whenever I wrote an article, it seemed like I wanted to write something, but I couldn't think of what to write. I know that my articles are immature and not mature enough. I have always wanted to further discuss them, but I always couldn't find a direction and didn't know where to work hard."
He Shujin hummed, then said comfortingly: "In your situation, without a teacher to guide you, it is very difficult to figure it out on your own. We are not geniuses, it is difficult to figure it out on our own.
Secondly, I haven’t read enough books, no, I should say I haven’t read enough works by great people. Many great people’s annotations on the Four Books and Five Classics will open our eyes and enlighten us.
You have read too few annotations and don't know what the latest views are. When taking the exam, if you stick to the old ways, it will be difficult to stand out in the provincial examination."
Sun Shan said gratefully, "Thank you, cousin, for your advice."
Then he said embarrassedly: "Cousin, the conditions of Zhangzhou Prefecture School are limited. The books provided are all old ones. I can't get the latest books. And I have already finished the lessons taught by the teacher. I can't learn anything new in the prefecture school. I don't know what to do now."
Sun Shan’s only support is the He family, and he can only confide his worries to his eldest cousin.
He Shujin nodded and said, "Zhangzhou Prefecture does not have a strong literary atmosphere, and there are certainly not many books. When I was studying at Guangya Academy, I could not make any breakthroughs. Fortunately, I got the opportunity to study at Yuelu Academy, which allowed me to pass the imperial examinations and become a Jinshi so smoothly.
Studying in different academies, you learn completely different things. For someone like you, you have been studying in the prefectural academy for two or three years, but you still can’t make a breakthrough. It’s time to leave and find a new academy to continue your studies.”
The stars know my heart.
The eldest cousin knows Sun Shan’s heart like the stars.
Sun Shan's eyes lit up and he said cautiously, "Cousin, do you have any good academy to recommend to me?"
Sun Shan wanted to study in an academy that was good in quality and cheap in price, just like Liu Wenhuan went to Yungu Academy. He wanted to study in another academy as long as his family could afford the tuition and living expenses.
As for things that are too expensive, Sun Shan cannot consider them. He does not want to use up all the family savings just for his studies.
He is not the kind of person who would do anything for the sake of studying.
He Shujin took out a letter from the study and handed it to Sun Shan.
Sun Shan took the letter doubtfully, read it, and looked at He Shujin in confusion.
He Shujin said gently, "This is a recommendation letter from Yuelu Academy. Shanzi, I think Yuelu Academy is a very good academy, better than Guangya Academy. There are many successful candidates, many great scholars, and many great scholars. You might as well go to Yuelu Academy to study directly, which will be of great benefit to your future."
Sun Shan's hands trembled as he looked at the thin letter with trembling hands.
My heart was extremely shocked.
How did the cousin do it? He actually gave him a letter of recommendation from Yuelu Academy?
Sun Shan's requirements have always been low, as long as he can go to a better academy than the provincial school.
Sun Shan was unable to react for a while when he was suddenly recommended to an important academy.
It was like he originally wanted to study at a university ranked around 50th in the country, but suddenly he was admitted to Tsinghua University or Peking University. This feeling was too unreal.
It really makes people doubt whether it is fake.
He Shujin saw Sun Shan's dazed look and laughed. He jokingly said, "Shanzi, you are lucky to have a cousin like me."
Sun Shan nodded quickly and said in agreement, "Cousin, you are right. I am indeed lucky to have a cousin like you and an aunt like you."
He Shujin patted Sun Shan's little head, shook his head and said, "Tell your aunt about the last part later. She will definitely be very happy when she hears it."
Sun Shan smiled foolishly for a while, then asked in confusion: "Cousin, how did you get a recommendation letter from Yuelu Academy? Isn't it said to be very difficult to get?"
Could it be that my cousin has studied in Yuelu Academy for two years and has already infiltrated the inner circle of Yuelu Academy and is now able to run rampant in the academy?
So letters of recommendation are a piece of cake for him?
Or maybe my cousin was noticed by a big shot in Yuelu Academy and was accepted as his apprentice, so he easily got a letter of recommendation for my cousin?
Or maybe the eldest cousin spent a lot of money to use his connections to get a letter of recommendation for Sun Shan?
In any case, Sun Shan was very moved.
He Shujin explained: "I was a classmate and good friend of the eldest son of the president of Yuelu Academy. We went to Beijing together to take the imperial examination this time. We both passed the imperial examination and became Jinshi, and later we both passed the imperial examination and became Shujishi."
Sun Shan understood that the friendship between classmates and the same year was now the friendship between colleagues.
It can be said that my cousin and the son of the president of Yuelu Academy are very rare good friends.
When friends ask friends for help, generally they will help as long as it's not too excessive.
He Shujin joked, "Well, I shamelessly asked him for a letter of recommendation, and he asked his father for one. Shanzi, take this letter and go to Yuelu Academy to study. As long as you are not too stupid, the academy will not reject you."
In fact, even if Sun Shan was too stupid, the academy would not refuse him. As long as he did not commit any crime and bring trouble to the academy, the academy would turn a blind eye and allow Sun Shan to study.
First, the letter was entrusted to the son of the dean, and was actually recommended by the dean. Second, He Shujin is now an official, and the academy also wants to maintain the relationship. Third, in the eyes of ordinary people, some academies are very difficult to get into, but in the eyes of some powerful people, it is just a letter or a sentence.
Sun Shan held the heavy letter of recommendation in his hand. An indescribable emotion welled up in his heart. His nose felt sore. He nodded solemnly and said, "Thank you, cousin. I appreciate your trouble."
Along the way, Uncle Sun, Uncle He, and cousin all showed great care and help to Sun Shan.
Sun Shan really had nothing to give in return, so he had to study hard to live up to his youth and the expectations.
He Shujin patted Sun Shan's little arm and said with a smile: "Shanzi, although you are not the smartest, you are the most self-disciplined and the most persistent. I believe that you will definitely be able to make a name for yourself. Just focus on your studies and don't think too much about other things. I'll be waiting for you in the capital."