Zhou Chong led the horse and had been waiting outside the Chengtian Gate for a long time. He found Wang Yuan in the crowd, and immediately greeted him and said, "Second brother, Yaxing took me to see several houses, and I think two of them are very good, so you can take the time to choose them yourself." “

"No need to look for a house." Wang Yuan didn't bother to ride a horse, so he only led Ah Hei out of the city on foot.

Zhou Chong was surprised: "Then continue to stay in the guest house?" ”

Wang Yuan explained: "The Ministry of Industry has already arranged the house, and I only found out after the dispersal of the dynasty. ”

"It's good to take the top prize, and the court still brings the house, I'm afraid that there will be several people entering the courtyard, right?" Zhou Chong was immediately so happy that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Wang Yuan smiled: "You want to be beautiful, it would be nice to have a separate courtyard, I estimate that several people live in the same courtyard, just like renting a house in Kunming." And the house was not given by the imperial court, but only lived there temporarily. ”

Zhou Chong said disappointedly: "The imperial court is really stingy. ”

Not only the champions, tanhua, and lists, but even the Shu Jishi selected by the museum, the Ministry of Industry will help arrange accommodation. In addition, the celebrant provides free paper, ink and pens and other cultural supplies every month, Guanglu Temple provides free breakfast and dinner, and the Ministry of Rites sends money to buy candles every month.

To put it bluntly, it is to eat, live, and daily use.

But the legal meal is only two meals a day, after all, the emperor only has two meals a day, and if you want to eat three meals, you must spend money to buy one meal.

The candle money of the Ministry of Rites is also very interesting, according to the system, you can receive three ingots of treasure money per month, and the official price is fifteen taels of silver. But in practice, it is not possible to send fifteen taels of silver a month to buy candles for the Hanlin officials, nor can it be possible to issue a pile of waste paper treasure money every month - then, just send candles.

Zhou Chong asked again: "Do you still buy the maid and mother-in-law?" ”

Wang Yuan shook his head and said, "If you don't buy it, it is estimated that it is difficult to find a horse shed in Ah Hei, let alone a maid and mother-in-law." ”

After the new science and technology scholars collectively went to the Temple of Literature to worship Confucius, Wang Yuan and Tanhua Yu moved into the residence provided by the Ministry of Industry. As for Yang Shen, of course, he lives in his own home, and he doesn't have to squeeze the dormitory with the hard-pressed North Drifters.

In the following days, Wang Yuan and the other Jinshi were busy thanking the examiner, the house teacher, and the karma teacher.

The chief examiner of the examination is Liu Zhong, of course, it is impossible to see everyone. The second and third list Jinshi can only hand over the greeting post to express their respect, and it will be considered face-saving to have a cup of tea in the living room of the Liu Mansion.

However, Liu Zhong must meet him in person.

Wang Yuan saluted: "Student Wang Yuan, I have seen Liu Gebu. ”

Liu Zhong smiled and helped: "Champion Lang doesn't have to be polite, and sit down." ”

Wang Yuan sat down and said: "Thanks to the appreciation of the cabinet, the students were lucky enough to pass the examination, and they will definitely live up to the grace of support in the future." ”

Liu Zhong sighed and said: "I am against you being the champion, as for how to act in the future, you can do it yourself, these have nothing to do with me." Although Liu Jin is eliminated, the number of people who cling to the eunuch party will not decrease, and you, the lucky champion, are likely to be besieged as a target by several forces. ”

Wang Yuan didn't expect Liu Zhong to say so directly, and said in surprise: "Listening to the tone of the cabinet, it seems that you are planning to give a minister?" ”

"I'll leave in a few days," Liu Zhong said, "I've been friends with Wang Dehui (Wang Hua) for many years, and you're a disciple of Wang Bo'an (Wang Yangming), so I'll mention you a few words before I leave Beijing." I won't say anything about the scene, but you have to remember that. In the court, one is Qian Ning, the second is Zhang Yong, and the third is Yang Jiefu (Yang Tinghe). As long as Qian Ning has money, whoever prevents him from making money is his enemy. Zhang Yong and Yang Jiefu cooperate tacitly in big things, and there are constant disputes in small things, and there will be no problem if you choose to attach to either party. But if you want to be a lonely minister and a fortunate minister, you will inevitably be besieged by these two people. ”

Liu Zhong just wanted to be a lonely minister, but he was splinted all day long.

Wang Yuan pondered for a while and asked, "What about Xiya Gong (Li Dongyang)?" ”

Liu Zhong suddenly smiled and said: "He is an immortal, he jumped out of the Three Realms, and he is not in the Five Elements." He didn't care about many things, he was old and seriously ill, and he only cared about his reputation after death. ”

Wang Yuan hugged his fists and thanked him: "The kindness of the cabinet department is unforgettable." ”

Liu Zhong waved his hand, shook his head and sighed: "Alas, I will also say a few more words to you casually for the sake of old friends." Remember, either you are attached to Zhang Yong or Yang Jiefu. If you want to be a lonely minister, you can get closer to Qian Ning, but you can't get too close. You are both civil and military, and you can go to the battlefield as soon as possible to make contributions, so that you can have your own foundation. That's all there is to it, and let's go. ”

The host sent off the guests, and Wang Yuan could only say goodbye.

Liu Zhong's experience over the years was quite strange, and he was thrown to Nanjing for opposing Liu Jin. The "Eunuch faction" felt that Liu Zhong was their own, so they promoted him to the secretary of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, and then changed to the Nanjing Ministry of Officials.

The other ministers who were thrown to Nanjing were all thinking about how to bring down Liu Jin, but Liu Zhong was doing his job. He didn't care who was a eunuch or who was a clear stream, anyway, as long as he was corrupt and bent the law, he would punish him, and more than 1,000 officials were found at one time. Then the official examination, Liu Zhong dealt with more than 1,000 officials, and suggested that the picket officials should not wait until once every six years, and should rectify the rule of officials anytime and anywhere.

Well, this suggestion is very much to Liu Jin's liking, and it has become a sharp weapon for Liu Jin to eliminate political opponents, and countless civil officials have been dismissed as a result, many of whom have been framed.

So Liu Zhong inexplicably became a eunuch and was transferred back to the capital to be the secretary of the Ministry of Officials and a bachelor of Hanlin, and he was also in charge of the power of the edict.

Liu Zhong was scared and asked for Zhishi, but the emperor did not allow it.

When Liu Jin fell, the civil officials gained power, and Liu Zhong officially became an important minister of the cabinet as a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion. Although he still serves as the secretary of the ministry, he has lost control of the ministry, who let him make a suggestion of the minister, resulting in countless civil officials being imprisoned by Gonggong Liu?

After the eunuch Zhang Yong gained power, he knew that Liu Zhong was isolated in the civil system, so he wanted to win over this important minister. The rebellion in Ningxia was pacified, and it was not Liu Zhong's business, but the young master and the prince and the prince were added to the party, and in fact became Zhang Yong's party, and the Qingliu people were even more hostile to Liu Zhong.

Liu Zhong had a hard time saying that he was forced to become a eunuch twice, but he didn't want to be a eunuch in his heart, so he was so frightened that he asked for Zhishi again.

The emperor not only did not allow it, but also asked Liu Zhong to preside over this year's examination, and Liu Zhong simply concentrated on being a lonely minister. deliberately and openly expressed his dissatisfaction with Zhang Yong, neither attached himself to the eunuchs, nor did he form a party with other civilian officials.

And then he was miserable!

Just a few days ago, Yang Tinghe personally came to Liu Zhong and said, you can't do well in this test, many candidates' articles violate the etiquette system but are hired.

To put it mildly, in fact, Zhang Yong and Yang Tinghe joined forces to force Liu Zhong to resign.

Liu Zhong asked Zhishi again, but the emperor still did not allow it, and Zhu Houzhao needed such a lonely minister. But Liu Zhong had already made up his mind this time, he was ready to return to his hometown under the pretext of repairing the ancestral tomb, and then he would stay in his hometown and not leave, and the emperor would definitely agree to his resignation.

It was precisely because he was disheartened with the court and had decided to leave that Liu Zhong said those words to Wang Yuan.

First, Wang Yuan was a disciple of his old friend's son, so he casually mentioned a few words; Second, Liu Zhong hoped that Wang Yuan would be a lonely minister and inherit his mantle; Third, Wang Yuan's palace test article is actually very pleasing to Liu Zhong, and he just doesn't want Wang Yuan to be too ostentatious.

Officialdom is like this, it is difficult to distinguish between people and ghosts.

Yang Yiqing, who gave Wang Yuan's article the first grade, was actually Yang Tinghe and the party. And the one who rated Wang Yuan as the third class was a real lonely minister, and he really thought about Wang Yuan.

During the selection of the museum, Liu Zhong went back to his hometown to repair the ancestral tomb, and it was impossible to enter the court again in this life.

Wang Yuan went to thank Wang Yangming for his kindness, and when the master and apprentice talked about it, Wang Yangming couldn't help but sigh.

Because, Wang Yangming's personality is very similar to Liu Zhong, being an official is often right about things and not people, and he is unwilling to stand on either side and rely on him. When Li Dongyang is the master, Wang Yangming has lost the care of the big guy, and most of them will follow in Liu Zhong's footsteps.

"You want to be a lonely minister?" Wang Yangming asked.

Wang Yuan thought for a moment and replied, "I want to be the minister of the society." ”

Wang Yangming laughed, very pleased.