Startled Meng

Chapter 14 Examiner

The examination is coming soon, and the emperor appointed Su Hongzhang, a Hanlin scholar, and Yan Cijing, a servant of the household department, as the chief examiners, and the Ministry of Rites was in charge of the scientific examination in accordance with the old system.

The emperor not only respected Su Hongzhang, who was highly respected, but also admired the young champion Lang Yan Cijing. He was waiting for the two to receive the decree, but Su Hongzhang was already kneeling on the ground: "The old minister is too old to take on this important task."

As soon as this remark came out, the whole court was in an uproar. Although Su Hongzhang was not over fifty, his hair full of silver hair was comparable to that of an old man, but there were many people who were even older. What's more, this was appointed by the emperor, and it was extremely honorable. He actually resigned immediately?

The emperor was not very happy either, and waited for Su Hongzhang's next words with a cold face. Unfortunately, Su Hongzhang was determined not to be the examiner, and the prime minister came out to smooth things over, saying that Mr. Su was not feeling well at the end of spring and early summer, and it was up to him to decide. The examiner had more energy than energy, so he changed the subject and recommended Zheng Lang, Minister of Rites, who was in good health and energy.

Zheng Lang presides over the scientific examination and is also the chief examiner, and he is not too tired. He has a noble character of devoting himself to death, and his colleagues echoed him and praised him. It seems that Zheng Lang's failure to be the chief examiner would be against the law of nature. .

The deputy prime minister, Zhang Shaoqiu, had always been at odds with the prime minister, and he was even more upset to see him recommending his own person. He stood up and said that he disagreed with the replacement, and satirized the prime minister's use of the name of recommendation to manipulate the scientific examination.

Amidst the undercurrent of the court, there was an incompatible and mocking "hmph".

Grand Tutor Bi Zhixing's voice was not too loud, just enough for the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty to listen to everything: "Let's not say whether Mr. Su is willing to be the chief examiner. He was also a talent who stunned the imperial capital back then, let alone the three servants of the Yan Dynasty. In Yuan Jidi, a policy theory won the first place in the palace examination, and no one was dissatisfied as the chief examiner, but Zheng Shangshu was a messenger and a third grade..." Bi Zhixing laughed twice, "Of course there are some advantages, but can you convince the examinees? It’s hard to believe it.”

"You!" Zheng Lang was so angry that his face turned pale. He hated others to talk about his background, but Bi Zhixing even satirized in public. He was thinking about how to counterattack, when he saw the prime minister glanced at him and signaled him to shut up. .

Bi Zhixing also said that when he heard the chief eunuch yelling to be quiet, he had no choice but to kneel down with the officials.

The emperor disliked the chaotic scene and didn't want to fight any more. After agreeing to Zheng Lang's self-recommendation, he left in a huff.

Originally, he wanted to see Yan Shilang more. This young champion man had been silent in the Imperial Academy for three years, and finally he could show his fists in the court. Unexpectedly, because of Su Hongzhang, the scene could not be closed, and finally replaced him Zheng Lang is just fine.

The emperor was only in his thirties, he ascended the throne at a young age, and his foundation was unstable. The old ministers had ruled the government for many years, so that he gradually became in charge after twenty. Therefore, he was very eager to have more new faces in the court. He had to wait for the imperial examination every three years. This opportunity to recruit talents is also because Su Hongzhang is not in the team and has high morals, so he was selected, but he didn't expect him to be unwilling!

Because of this small incident, the compliments to Zheng Lang and Yan Cijing were much less, and the courtiers' attention was all on Su Hongzhang.

"Su Hongzhang really doesn't know what is good or bad! He actually resisted the order in public? In my opinion! His request for making trouble at the beginning of the year should be approved!"

"Hey! You are so old-fashioned! This time of year is the anniversary of the death of his daughter, Concubine Yun, who entered the palace. Just now, he saw the King Yan who was born by Concubine Yun on the road. Can you not be sad?"

"Speaking of King Yan, because of the old illness brought about by the mother's womb, he could only stay in the capital to be treated by the imperial physician, but I saw it a few days ago, and it seems that he has contracted a cough again..."

King Yan?

Yan Cijing's mind flashed a thin figure of a young boy.

He has seen this King Yan many times, but he only looked at him from a distance. He only knows that he is the emperor's younger brother. He has been in poor health since he was a child, and it is difficult to get off the ground. He can only sit in a wheelchair and be pushed by others. , not to mention going to a remote fiefdom without Yecheng, the emperor was also worried about his younger brother, sending all the good medicinal materials to Yanwang's mansion, but it just didn't work.

His mother concubine Yun...

"Oh!"

Yan Cijing was knocked awake at the corner, and when he saw the other party fell down, he hurried up to help him up: "Girl, are you alright?"

"Hah-"

"You!" Yan Cijing was stunned, staring at the strange woman in front of him.

Both of her eyes were gouged out!It was black, and the tongue was uprooted from the mouth!He was exhaling at him, and when he heard his words, his whole body became agitated, making a gurgling sound, and was about to lean on him.

Yan Cijing grabbed her hand and found that she was skinny and skinny, and the dilapidated palace dress was folded due to struggle, exposing two palms without ten fingers!

"Who are you? Why—"

"Hiss! Ha——" The woman seemed to want to say something, but she couldn't say anything. She was in pain, and she was writhing like crazy.

Yan Cijing was left with nothing but fear, and he didn't even care about the wrinkled sleeves of Ping Shun's sleeves: "What happened?"

"Master Yan, don't be afraid! Something from Leng Gong has escaped, we'll catch her and go back!"

Two guards came, one left and one right restrained the woman and was about to drag her out. The woman struggled violently, twisted her thin neck and turned her head, her empty eye sockets were facing Yan Cijing, as if she wanted to say something.

"Master Yan, don't worry, there are so many unspeakable secrets in this palace, ahem!"

Yan Cijing turned around and found that it was the King of Yan. He immediately bowed down and saluted, but the King of Yan waved his hand and refused: "You don't need to be polite, cough cough!" Morbid white, it seems that he will die soon.

"This leads to the inner palace. Lord Yan is going out of the palace. Let's go this way."

Yan Cijing said yes respectfully, and watched King Yan go away. "

Soon, a eunuch ran over with a jacket that was only needed in the deep winter, and a heater was wrapped in the jacket. King Yan frowned when he saw it, but he didn't refuse and hugged it all in his arms.

Yan Cijing stood still, watching Yan Wang being pushed away by the eunuch and disappearing at the end of the scarlet palace wall. When he was left alone on the long street, he squatted down and picked up a hairpin at his feet.

The hairpin shaft is covered with bloody scratches, only the white jade lotus on the head of the hairpin is clean and soft, which fell from the sleeve of the woman just now.

Beijing Tea House

A few days ago, I found out that after I got out of the cave, I asked Ruku to investigate, but unfortunately the entrance of the cave has been destroyed. If I want to search for the one hundred and nine corpses, more people will be alarmed, so I have to find someone to keep an eye on them all the time. Follow the movement of the hut in the forest.

"It's just..." Ruku said, "The hut in the forest has been exposed, and the black eagle will definitely not appear again."

Yu Fangzhi was also aware of this, he only knew that when the corpses hadn’t seen the light of day again, they felt depressed, pushed the window and looked out over the railing, and saw a few people who looked like scholars in gray cloth long gowns, gathered together to discuss this year the chief examiner.

When Yu Fangzhi was squatting on the roof to eavesdrop, he knew that Yan Cijing would show his face in the imperial examination this time, but he didn't expect to become the chief examiner directly. The examiner has great power, and he knew what Yan Cijing would do next.

Yu Fangzhi said lightly: "The test is about to start, and it's time to take action in the next few days."

Ruku nodded, and said again: "In addition to Yan Cijing, Zheng Lang, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, replaced Su Hongzhang as the chief examiner."

A hint of sarcasm flashed in Yu Fangzhi's eyes: "Zheng Lang is also worthy of that dog thief? But it's also good, he wants to stick his head out, so let him be fulfilled!"

Ruku hesitated: "Su Hongzhang..." Seeing Yu Fangzhi fiddle with a small white lotus in the water tank, he continued, "Su Hongzhang should not know about what happened back then, but Concubine Yun who fell into the well and died should Know something, otherwise it wouldn't be such a coincidence that an accident happened on the eve of the Meng family's accident."

"Concubine Yun is called by outsiders." Yu Fangzhi brushed the water from his palm into Bai Lianlian's heart, "I call her Aunt Yun."

Ruku Moran, he knew that Concubine Yun had a good relationship with Yu Fangzhi's mother, and Yu Fangzhi had received a lot of care from Concubine Yun when he was young, and his end was lamented by others, but Yu Fangzhi was really sad.

"After Concubine Yun's accident, all the maidservants who were close to her were sent and sold into brothels. Only one of them escaped and stayed in the palace, but his tongue was pulled out, his eyes were gouged out, and his fingers were cut off. I don't know how many years have passed. , is he still alive?"

Yu Fangzhi's eyes moved slightly, the movement of his hands stopped, and the water drops on his fingertips made the white lotus sway.

"Go."

Ruku nodded, turned and left.

"Xiaoqing!" Yu Fangzhi shouted, he wants to eat lotus flower cakes!

The door of the wing room opened, but it wasn't Xiao Qing who poked his head in, first smiled flatteringly, then turned around and squeezed in the door, the man hugged the ledger and nodded to Yu Fangzhi and said, "Young master!"

Yu Fangzhi glanced at him, then turned his head and fiddled with the golden toad on the shelf to attract money: "Why is Boss Qin here again?"

Boss Qin laughed awkwardly, and said bravely: "Shaodong's family, it's still the same thing, you add people to the cloth shop, can you... think about it again?"

Yu Fangzhi grabbed the copper coin from Jin Toad's mouth and played with it in his hand: "The time limit for handing in the account book has been extended for three days, and Boss Qin still can't pay it. Last time I went to the store to see, the guy was sleeping in the store. There is still a backlog of fabrics from the previous year in the warehouse, Boss Qin, I don’t have to drive you away, it’s not easy for everyone these days, Boss Qin can’t handle it by himself, so I’ll add another person to you, what’s wrong?”

It's fine to add a man, but if you add a shopkeeper, how can he have a voice in the future?Boss Qin almost burst into tears, and began to reminisce about the years he worked under Yu Wanqian's hands, trying to provoke Yu Fangzhi's pity, but Yu Fang knew whether he liked it, waved the copper coin back into the toad's mouth, turned over and sat by the window superior.

Amused, he saw an acquaintance: "Master Yan!"

Mr. Yan came back from court, wearing a scarlet court dress that was very conspicuous, Yu Fang knew it from afar, and greeted him cheerfully, thinking he was familiar, who knew that Yan Cijing ignored him at all, without raising his head, and walked slowly gone.

Watching and helping each other in the cave!Are you a stranger now?Yu Fangzhi jumped down from the window: "It's boring." He brushed off the non-existent dust on his sleeves, turned around, and saw that there was still a man behind him, and asked in surprise, "Boss Qin, why haven't you left yet?"

"Young master, look at what I said..."

"If you don't leave, I'll leave!" Yu Fangzhi waved his hand, he didn't have time to deal with him anymore, he opened the door and left, leaving Boss Qin holding the account book and wanting to cry without tears.

One mountain cannot contain two tigers. Boss Qin absolutely cannot accept that there are other people in the store. He secretly thought about going to the young owner's house again tomorrow. He went downstairs with the ledger in his arms. When he saw Mr. Yan in front of him from a distance, a thought flashed through him!

Without much hesitation, he followed.

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