reborn monarch

What gave Xie Jiuyuan a headache was that forming cliques in the examination room was not a phenomenon unique to Jiangnan officialdom, let alone a phenomenon unique to the Great Chu Dynasty.

When the atmosphere in the previous dynasty was at its worst, it even reached such a point that when the officials met, they greeted each other well, first reported the year of the exam, the exam room, and their rank, and they were ranked according to their seniority before they could be seated in order. how to speak.

It's not that Xie Jiuyuan has never experienced it before, but he was a small official in the last years of the first emperor. Governor, even Tanhualang, who was approved by the late emperor, no one paid much attention to him.

Now the one on the left is "Master Xie had the reputation of being a child prodigy, he was Huiyuan who was born in the Jiangnan examination room", and the one on the right is "So I and Master Xie are from the same school". Answering in a hurry, maybe a few more brothers from the same school who don't know each other in one meal.

Xie Jiuyuan pretended to be ignorant, pretending to be ignorant, he was an imperial envoy on behalf of the imperial examination, and if the Jiangnan officialdom became a party, as long as there was nothing wrong with the imperial examination, it had nothing to do with him.He eats and drinks as much as he eats, does not highlight his nobility, and does not show off his exquisite wrists. In addition to "disrespect and disrespect", he keeps a low profile, drifts with the crowd, and strives to disappear among officials.

After a few days, he also noticed that this group of officials really couldn't tell how much they valued him as an imperial envoy. The prefect of Jinling should have Feng Weixiang's instruction to win him over so much, and the other small officials did the same, most of them should It's just a matter of habit.

So he was more relaxed, under the banner that the Holy Majesty sent me to enjoy the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River, he shirked the invitation to the banquet, and took the guards to watch around Jinling City, as if he was traveling on behalf of the emperor.

Feng Weixiang sent people to follow him. He heard the same report every day, and lost interest in a few days.

Xie Jiuyuan reckoned that the time was about the same, and then he gradually moved away from the exquisite or majestic pavilions and temples in Jinling, and began to drill into places where scholars gather. He just stopped to observe, listened to the high-spirited talks of these candidates for the exam, and did not join in the conversation with them. Feng Weixiang's spies didn't see anything wrong with this move, so they didn't report it.

For Xie Shishi and Xie Jingqing, since Xie Jiuyuan went out every day, the opportunity for them to sneak out and make trouble came. The uncles and nephews swaggered in and out of the Longmen Teahouse where the children gathered. Xie Shishi called himself "inch light", Xie Jingqing Claiming to be an "inch of golden water", he competed with scholars and scholars in poetry, literature, books, and words, and dealt a severe blow to these "chicken heads" who originally wanted to increase the pressure on others before the exam. I wish I could find out their birthdays The horoscope is a villain for the pair of uncles and nephews.

So when Xie Jiuyuan in micro-clothes finally came to Longmen Teahouse, Xie Shiyi shouted "Brother!" in surprise, and Xie Jiuyuan received an unfriendly look from a teahouse.

……

Needless to say, these two living monkeys must have done nothing good.

How did he know that Xie Shishi and Xie Jingqing came to kick the gym, and everyone was convinced by their strength, but they still didn't accept being praised, and sighed "Actually, I am far behind my elder brother/nephew", "The level of this year's exams is really second" written all over his face, is it annoying?This is Jiangnan. If they were in the Liaodong examination room, the beatings of the uncle and nephew would be light.

Xie Jiuyuan reluctantly bowed his hands to the people in the teahouse and asked for a private room. Just as he was about to catch the two live monkeys upstairs, he heard someone shouting: "This 'big brother', since these two treat your Talent and learning are so highly praised, I wonder if I would like to give some pointers?"

After seeing the speaker clearly, the other people in the teahouse booed and shouted for him.

This is Jiang Zaidao, the talented Suzhou scholar who is most likely to win the first place in this year's Jiangnan imperial examination.

"My family is always kind to my family. It's hard to tell me how to give advice." Xie Jiuyuan himself came here when he was young and vigorous, and he didn't get angry or reveal his identity, just said softly.

He looks suave and suave, and he is so generous and self-effacing. He only said one sentence, even if the people present were unwilling, they couldn't help but feel a little more fond of him.

Jiang Zaidao is also a person who doesn't like to show off, but he was overwhelmed by Xie's uncle and nephew, and for a while he got angry for Jiangnan Juzi, so he made provocative words. Seeing Xie Jiuyuan's response in this way, he was more interested in making friends. Love painting, his heart moved, and he said with a smile: "Then, can you paint, brother?"

Xie Jiuyuan said modestly, "I have learned."

This is a promise. Longmen Teahouse has been engaged in the scholar business for a long time, and the waiter in the shop feels very good. At this time, two desk tables have been vacated, and ink for painting has been replaced.

Jiang Zaidao and Xie Jiuyuan were standing in front of the case, only then did they realize that no one had asked a question yet.

"It's better to use Jiangnan as the theme." Xie Jingqing held a plate of melon seeds and crowded in the front row with Xie Shishi to watch the fun.

The hatred between their uncle and nephew was too strong, and someone immediately retorted: "It's too broad!"

Xie Shiyi raised his hand: "Then let's take Jiangnan women as the topic!"

People in a teahouse who studied the Four Books and Five Classics burst into laughter, "Good!"

Xie Jiuyuan glared at Xie Shixi, which made Xie Shiyi, who had been praised with his tail twitching, froze, and showed a flattering smile to his elder brother.

Xie Jiuyuan felt itchy.

Jiang Zaidao saw the interaction between the brothers, and found it quite interesting, and he was not a rigid person, so he said, "Then let's use Jiangnan women as the topic. How about this brother?"

"Okay." Xie Jiuyuan responded, thinking carefully.

Everyone also held their breaths for silence, and gradually dispersed, so as not to disturb their painting.

A stick of incense passed.

The painting was half-dried, Xie Jiuyuan and Jiang Zaidao looked at each other and admired each other.

Jiang Zai said: "Brother, can you lend me the painting to study for a few days?"

Xie Jiuyuan: "If you don't dislike it, how about exchanging paintings?"

Jiang Zai said: "Okay! Here is Jiang Wen, the word Zai Dao. I wonder if you would like to tell me your name and surname?"

Xie Jiuyuan: "It's not that I hide my head and show my tail and don't want to make friends. It's really inconvenient at the moment. Why don't I take the painting back, sign my name, and send it to Xiongtai's residence on the day when Xiongtai leaves the examination room, how about it?"

Jiang Zaidao was a little suspicious, but after a little thought, he agreed.

Longmen Teahouse has a special long pole and a picture clip. Pick up these two pictures and hang them in the center of the teahouse for people to judge.The people who had been waiting for a long time immediately swarmed over.

On the left is a painting by Jiang Zaidao, which shows an old weaver weaving under a lamp with squinting eyes.

On the right is a painting by Xie Jiuyuan, which depicts a middle-aged fisher girl carrying a child on her back to catch a net.

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, and then praised again, saying that it was hard to tell which was better, and that they were all excellent works.

Xie Shishi was so excited that he praised: "I thought it would be a picture of beauties, but I didn't expect the two big brothers to be so caring, and the pictures are actually poor people, good!"

Xie Jingqing groaned "hypocritical", but kept staring at the painting, his eyes seemed to be quite gratified.

With one left hand and one right hand, Xie Jiuyuan grabbed them by the back of their necks and dragged them upstairs. If these two live monkeys were not cleaned up, they would be thrown out of the sky!

As soon as they entered the private room, Xie Jingqing and Xie Shishi looked at each other, and before Xie Jiuyuan had an attack, they spoke out what they had observed recently.

Xie Jingqing said that they found that among the examiners, the most talked about was not the Four Books and Five Classics, nor ideals and ambitions, but to guess which bachelor the examiner would be and which governor would be the supervisor. After entering the imperial court, they can follow these officials to climb up the ranks. what relationship.The few teahouses he and Xie Xie passed by were like Wenlou, only Longmen Teahouse was still talking about the duty of a scholar.

Xie Shixi approached Xie Jiuyuan and whispered that someone told him that he could get a high position on the list.

Xie Jiuyuan frowned upon hearing this, "Is the news accurate?"

Xie Shizhi hesitated, Xie Jiuyuan looked at Xie Jingqing, Xie Jingqing touched his nose, leaned over, and said the matter in a low voice.

A few days ago, their uncle and nephew met a dandy in a teahouse, and they had a table with them. Just by looking at him, he seemed not a bad person. Later, Xie Jingqing got into a fight with the scholars in the teahouse, and the dandy spoke sincerely to Xie Shi He said that he had just bought a piece of calligraphy at a big price, and he didn't know if it was the original work of everyone, and he was going to take it home to celebrate his birthday. Seeing that their uncle and nephew were talented in writing, he asked Xie Shishi to help him go upstairs to have a look.

Xie Xie was young after all, and thought that this dude was too unguarded, so he went up to show off his wealth so casually. As a result, the dude was just looking for sex, and closed the door and said insulting words to Xie Shixi , Seeing that Xie Shishi blushed with anger, and coaxed him by saying "I can also buy you on the list", he even wanted to use his hands and feet, but was beaten into a pig's head by Xie Shixi.

Hearing this, Xie Jiuyuan's face darkened, and he asked Xie Jingqing, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Did you do anything?"

Xie Jingqing clenched his fists and showed him, "Not only did I beat him up, I also carried that kid to the bank of the Qinhuai River and kicked him down."

"That makes sense." Xie Jiuyuan nodded, turned around and patted Xie Shishi on the shoulder, "Don't take it to heart."

He was a manly man who was taken aback by others, but he was still embarrassed after all, Xie Shixi scratched the back of his head and said "hmm".

Xie Jingqing asked again: "Do you know what it's called?"

Xie Shishi said sternly: "He said his name is Wei Cai. It doesn't seem like he has the brains to make up a fake name, but he can't say for sure. I think we should check carefully about spending money to buy the list."

Xie Jingqing looked at Su Wei, and said, "Please check, is there anyone named Wei Cai among the applicants for the exam?"

"Yes", Su Wei agreed, and asked Xie Shishi again, "Dare to ask, young master, which Wei is it, and which one is it?"

Xie Xie thought for a while and said, "Wei, the eunuch who died in the previous dynasty, Wei Zhongxian, as for his talent, he himself reported his talent as 'true talent and real learning', but I saw on his book box that it was clearly written that' greedy for money is good." | Color' wealth."

This burying and dismissing showed how much Xie Shishi hated this person.

Su Wei responded with a smile: "This subordinate understands, so I will send someone to investigate."

Xie Jiuyuan and Xie Jingqing couldn't help laughing, and Xie Jingqing also ordered a plate of milk cakes for Xie Shishi, saying it was a way of comforting him, but he ate it happily, very much like an elder.

The next day, Su Wei came to report to Xie Jiuyuan, saying that he had found out that he was Wei Cai, the son of the Wei family, a great salt merchant in Huai'an.

"How did you find it so quickly?" Xie Jiuyuan admired it very much, "Jinling City is full of children now, and you are a good means."

Su Wei explained with a smile: "The subordinates just asked them to go out and find out where someone was thrown into the Qinhuai River recently. Follow along and find it."

It turned out that it was the younger uncle who made the contribution, and Xie Jiuyuan couldn't laugh or cry.

Su Wei went on to report: "But Wei Cai was indeed written as Wei Cai in the registration of the examination. I am afraid that the change of name and name may indeed be to cover up the matter of Qian's "Bei". It's very shallow, I don't know whether I should investigate further, please show me."

Xie Jiuyuan was thinking, and tapped his fingers on the case.

"Investigate. But since tomorrow is the day of the examination, you must not startle the snake, and investigate quietly."

"Yes!"

The people in the capital are known for being well-informed.

Emperor Qiyuan's pacification reward had just been carried into Wen Jinli's prime minister's mansion in a mighty way. After delivering the gift, the guards sat in a street teahouse. On the second day, all the people in the capital knew that the emperor was still very fond of Wen Jinli. Respect, because Commander Anxi Wei and the Minister of the Ministry of War have disrespected Wen Xiang, so he hastened to send rewards to comfort the veterans.

"What? Why do you have to deal with these two people? Oh, you're not a local, are you? It's no wonder you don't know that Commander Anxi Wei is a wimp, and he lost the city of Brin! The Minister of the Ministry of War is even more incompetent, and it is not good to deploy troops. , I heard that His Majesty called him "worthless"!"

"Ah? Why did Minister Wen want to protect them? Tsk tsk, I don't blame you. Only people in our capital can understand that Wen Xiang is a 'Wen Banchao'. Half of the civil and military officials are Wen Xiang's apprentices. How can my own family No guarantee? When I see you, I don’t know how to do it! Even the emperor respects him, so why don’t you give him a reward immediately? Didn’t you see how many treasures were given by that mighty group of people? Woolen cloth."

If Wen Jinli knew that the outside world had spread like this, he would have to burn the pile of calligraphy treasures awarded by Emperor Qiyuan.Fortunately, Emperor Qiyuan could figure it out. Each big box contained only one calligraphy and painting, and it was the late emperor, that incomprehensible emperor, who painted sparrows and crickets. When he heard the return from the Three Treasures, he said that Wen Jinli's face turned green when he thanked him. .

Emperor Qi Yuan heard it interesting, but he didn't laugh for long.

Today is the day of the exam.

After passing the three exams, the rankings will be released on the [-]th, and the Jiangnan imperial examination bribery case is about to explode|explode.

The author has something to say:

*I’m sorry, I finished the article on quitting circles yesterday. When I saw the article in the manuscript box in the morning, I was shocked and realized that I used a lot of translation accents unconsciously, so I changed it.

*Before I save the manuscript, I still only promise the daily update, and don’t agree on the release time. I feel that it’s even more annoying to say that I can’t do it, isn’t it?