The list of the Shuncheon Township Test was announced, and the time has quietly come to mid-September.

The heat of the capital is gradually dissipating, and the most sultry season has quietly passed, and the weeping willows by the lake are swaying in the wind, faintly revealing a hint of autumn.

There are many wealthy idlers living in the capital, including the children of the capital who have a wide range of ancestors, the descendants of officials who stayed in the capital, some relatives of the emperor who are far or near, and even some brokers who can get in touch with some high-ranking officials.

These idlers have some identities, but they don't look down on those roadside tea stalls, but they can't continue to consume in restaurants, so the most favored place is the tea shop.

In the north of the city, there is a tea shop called Zuiyeju, which is located on the side of the lake, not far from Guozijian, so it has always been quite lively.

In the afternoon, this tea shop is already full, there are pure rich people who pass the time, there are gentlemen who come to fight cocks and crickets, there are some scholars who hang out here, and there are also people of three religions and nine streams who like to come here to inquire about the news.

Thanks to the popularity of "Shuncheon Daily" and the popularity of the new "Heaven and Dragon Slayer", it is quite noisy for both current affairs and fanatics here.

"According to the report, Xiaoxiang Building's new Oiran White Peony's song "Exquisite Drunk" is like a heavenly sound, which makes the people present fascinated!"

"I think it's an exaggeration, it's a trick to trick us into going to Xiaoxiang Tower to pay for money!"

"Chen Si, a villager in Chen Village, Daxing County Changliu Township, picked up ten taels of silver in the north of the city and returned it to the owner, which is a model of contemporary gold picking!"

"This kind of person is really valuable, Suncheon Daily should really report more on these people, and talk about what major events have happened in the imperial court recently?"

"At the beginning of September, Princess Jiashan will be mourned, and she will be buried like the eldest princess of Yongchun!"

"Princess Jiashan seems to be twenty-two years old this year, it's a pity, and now there seems to be ...... left in this dynasty."

"Today's five daughters of the emperor, now only Princess Ning'an, the eldest princess of the Li family who married into Ningjin County, Hebei Province!"

"Hey, the emperor ...... today"

"Sincerely!"

A little old man reading the newspaper was chatting with a rich man, but seeing that the rich man seemed to be commenting on royal affairs, he reminded him.

Only then did the rich man realize that something was wrong, and looked at the two Dongchang fans sitting not far away, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and then asked the little old man to continue reading the newspaper.

The newspaper was nearing its end, and then it was the serialization of "The Legend of Heaven and Dragon Slayer", which the rich people did not like, but it was the transfer of relevant officials, such as the editor of the Hanlin Academy, Jin Da, as the secretary of the Nanjing Guozijian, and Yin Liu Ziqiang of the Ying Tianfu Prefecture as the right deputy governor of the Imperial History of the Metropolitan Inspectorate of Sichuan.

The fat landlord saw that the time was not early, so he got up and said to the teahouse: "You can put away the tea, and wait for me to drink another pot tomorrow!" ”

The tea is divided into 369 teas, and some guests store their tea leaves directly here, and they always come to drink some every day. In this era, honesty is all about integrity, and tea shops will not deduct from it.

"Little Er, go to the backyard and pick up a handful of fresh grass!" A boy playing with crickets walked in and instructed Xiao Er, who was pouring tea for the guests.

After Xiao Er poured the tea, he hurriedly answered, put the tea cup on the desk at the front desk, and hurriedly trotted into the courtyard behind the tea shop.

The tea shop said that it was selling tea, but in order to take care of these rich customers, even the bones for the dogs were prepared properly, and they were undertaking all kinds of strange work.

The gentleman followed a few companions here, walked straight to the central table and sat down, and said mysteriously, "Something happened to Shuntianxiang!" ”

As soon as these words came out, the tea customers in the entire tea shop turned their heads to look at the gentleman, including the rich man who originally wanted to leave.

"You're afraid you won't even think of it! Let's try Xie Yuanlang ...... in Shuntianxiang, "After the gentleman said amazingly, he suddenly stopped the truth.

When a businessman next to him heard this, he immediately asked: "You mean Xinke Xie Yuanlang Zhangli, I also sent him a hundred taels, what's wrong with him?" ”

"Huh...... I'm afraid that your money will be wasted, and something will happen to him! The gentleman was very satisfied that he had become the focus of the tea shop, so he announced the news: "According to the scholar, this Xie Yuanlang is not a scholar from Daxing County, Shuntian Prefecture, but actually a fake person!" ”

Every time the list is published, there will always be thousands of scholars in the capital, who are all people who have studied hard in the cold window, and they are naturally resentful in the face of this unsatisfactory result. In addition, a large group of prisoners in Guozijian looked at only ten people on the list, and they also seemed to be irritable.

I wanted to find something to do, and when I learned that Xie Yuan, who was in this township test, was an impostor, it was like a dynamite bag, and it exploded in the capital in an instant.

"It must be strictly investigated!"

"The court wants to give us an explanation!"

"Get rid of his reputation for Xie Yuan, and hold the Shuntian Township Test again!"

……

A large group of unsuccessful scholars vented their anger on this Zhang Li, and in the early morning of a certain office, they even stopped the sedan chair to submit a petition to the passing officials.

In the face of this sudden change, the Ministry of Rites has borne the brunt. No matter what kind of mistakes go wrong, the Ministry of Rites must not only calm the scholar's emotions, but also find a way to solve the matter.

The yamen of the Ministry of Rites, the fire room of the main hall, the atmosphere seems a little depressing.

Li Chunfang sat in the center, Lin Haoran and Gao Gong were on both sides, and the scribe who came in to deliver the tea felt unprecedented pressure, and carefully retreated after serving the tea cups one by one.

Gao Gong's status is the lowest, but his voice is the loudest, but he immediately expressed his opinion: "This impersonation is not trivial, we must investigate it to the end this time, and we must not tolerate it!" ”

"I don't know if it's true or not!" Li Chunfang was originally a good-tempered person, but looking at this tall beard who was only loud and incompetent, he reminded lightly.

Gao Gong picked up the teacup and said with certainty: "Isn't this an obvious thing?" If that Zhang Li wasn't an impostor, how could this matter be so big? And that Zhang Li will not hide quietly! ”

Li Chunfang didn't want to argue with Gao Gong about this inconclusive matter, so he turned his head to look at Lin Haoran, and asked in a significantly gentler tone: "Uncle Zuo, what do you think of this matter?" ”

Gao Gong took a sip of tea and looked at Lin Haoran curiously. If you want to talk about responsibility, the matter has nothing to do with him, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, but this left attendant of the Ministry of Rites is afraid that he will take a little responsibility.

"When the trial was held in Shuntian Township, the lower officials learned that Shuntian Mansion had always been impersonated, so they followed the Shuntian Mansion to say hello and asked them to send someone to investigate, and the result is here!" Lin Haoran took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and presented it directly to Li Chunfangdao.

Li Chunfang took the list and looked at it, but handed it to Gao Gong quietly again.

Gao Gong stepped forward to take the list, and couldn't help but glance at Lin Haoran, and his heart was inevitably surprised.

It is said that they have no direct jurisdiction over the Shuntian Mansion, but this former Shuntian Mansion Yin seems to have the ability to reach the sky, and he directly ordered the Shuntian Mansion to do things with him.

Lin Haoran looked at the two of them, and then put down the teacup and said seriously: "This time, a total of 56 impostors and 6 Chinese-style people have been found in Wanping and Daxing counties, including Xie Yuan Zhangli!" After a pause, he added: "Zhang Li was originally hiding in the house of Zhang Xiao, the outer lang of the seal inspection division, but the official came forward, and now Zhang Li has been placed under house arrest in the Shuntian Mansion. According to Zhang Li's confession, he was originally from Jishan, Zhejiang, and he had already won the talent in the local area. It's just that a large number of names have fallen to Sun Mountain twice in a row, so they were transferred to Daxing County, Shuntian Prefecture, and participated in this township test through impersonation! ”

Although he said it lightly, Li Chunfang and Gao Gong were secretly frightened. When they were still in the clouds, this left attendant of the Ministry of Rites had already done so many things, and he had everything in his hands.

"So did he get involved in fraud?" Gao Gong didn't wait for Li Chunfang to ask, but asked with concern.

Lin Haoran didn't care too much about Gao Gong, and looked at Li Chunfang with the same meaning, so he responded: "Xia Guan had a special opinion on Yin Shiwei last night, and he said that the matter was not involved in fraud, but it was ......!" ”

"Uncle Zuo, if there is anything, it doesn't hurt to say it!" Li Chunfang seemed to be firm and authentic.

Gao Gong guessed that there might be another article about the matter, and he also cast a concerned gaze at Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran was originally hesitant to say it, but seeing Li Chunfang's attitude, he said seriously: "Yin Shidan also revealed to the lower officials: When Xie Yuan was agreed on this time, it was the result of the deputy chief examiner Wang Xilie's strong recommendation of Zhang Li, and he thought that this volume could only barely reach the level of Jingkui!" ”

When Li Chunfang heard this, she knew why Lin Haoran wanted to stop talking, if this matter was disclosed again, it would undoubtedly make the problem even more complicated.

"Huh...... It seems that this Wang Xilie is afraid that it is not clean! Gao Gong heard this, but he had other ideas, and even said coldly.

Lin Haoran was afraid of Gao Gong's judgment, so he explained seriously: "Uncle Youzong, this is inappropriate! This official had served as the chief examiner of the township examination in the past, and he knew that there would inevitably be certain differences in the Xie Yuan volume. Yin Shidan said that this volume can barely reach the level of Jingkui, which proves that there is no problem with Zhang Li's promotion, and Xie Yuan's title can only be said to be controversial! This chapter is a person who is an impostor, and he will definitely not be involved in the joint solution again, so this township test will not involve fraud! After a pause, he explained to Li Chunfang again: "The reason why Xia Guan said it was just to report the original state of the matter to Lord Zhengtang, but this matter should not be discussed now, and at present, we still have to focus on the matter of impersonation!" ”

"Zuo Zongbo is thoughtful, don't discuss this matter for the time being, this official also believes that Wang Xilie and Yin Shidan are not people who have mistaken their future!" Li Chunfang glanced at Lin Haoran approvingly, and said with a serious decision.

Gao Gong's brows furrowed slightly, but he felt a sense of isolation.

Lin Haoran didn't care about the intrigue, and said to Li Chunfang seriously: "Lord Zhengtang, this incident involves impersonation, but it is not trivial, we must not tolerate it, I don't know how to decide?" ”

"This matter involves the Ming Dynasty's talent ceremony, we naturally still have to report the matter, but how to deal with this matter still has to be decided by the emperor!" Li Chunfang picked up the teacup and responded honestly.

Although the Ministry of Rites is in charge of the imperial examination, Shuntianxiang tried to do something, but in fact, it had to be dealt with from above. According to the previous handling method, it is definitely necessary to get rid of the fame of Zhang Li and the other six people, and then investigate the responsibility of the relevant officials.

Gao Gong expressed his opinion again: "No matter what, our Ministry of Rites wants to give an explanation to the scholars of the world, and we must strip the fame of these six people and hold the relevant officials accountable!" ”

Li Chunfang didn't like Gao Gong's aggressive temperament, but he was not a person who liked to argue with others, so he first lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then looked at Lin Haoran and asked, "Uncle Zuo, what do you think should be done?" ”

"The matter of impersonation is not a one-day cold, and we can't blame all the relevant officials on duty! The lower officials thought that we could not pursue the relevant officials, but the impersonation violated the fairness and justice of the imperial examination, and Zhang Li and the other six people must be expelled and punished! Lin Haoran expressed his opinion authentically.

Gao Gong looked at Lin Haoran so timidly, but he couldn't help but snort coldly.

Li Chunfang also felt that Lin Haoran was timid, but she didn't think it was a big problem, so she put down the teacup and made a decision: "This official will be on duty in Xiyuan tonight, and he will personally report this matter to the emperor and report their opinions!" ”

Due to the special circumstances of the Ming Dynasty, it is extremely difficult for Lin Haoran and Gao Gong, who are noble servants of the Ministry of Rites, to see the emperor, so many things still have to be promoted by the elder and the "quasi-elder".

When the deliberations were over, the three of them dispersed.

September has faded the enthusiasm of summer, the sky seems blue and high, the blue sky is like a wash, the suburbs of the mountains and forests are empty and depressed, and even the city of Beijing is shrouded in loneliness.

Li Chunfang did not take a sedan chair to go home when he was in the office, but after eating a donkey meat in a hurry, he took a sedan chair and rushed directly to Xiyuan to be on duty.

There was no blind person on the road to stop the sedan chair, and soon the sedan chair came to the front of the West Garden, and when he got off the sedan chair, he was given a set of autumn clothes by the housekeeper, and he was holding the autumn clothes and hurriedly trotted towards the open palace gate.

Since the last time he had the experience of being blocked out of the palace gate, he didn't dare to delay for half a minute, and seemed to hurriedly walk towards the palace gate. When he walked through the doorway, he accidentally ran into two officials who came out of it.

"Xiaguan has seen Uncle Dazong!"

Xu Yi and Wang Xilie saw Li Chunfang appear, and saluted respectfully.

Li Chunfang naturally recognized these two people, but she didn't put on a show, and followed the two people to say a few words. It's just that his footsteps did not stop, but hurried out of the palace gate.

Xu Yi and Wang Xilie also didn't dare to stay, watching Li Chunfang hurry by, and they also stayed away from this palace gate together.

After Li Chunfang entered the palace gate, he stood in place and turned around, looking thoughtfully at the two people who left.

If this case is to be magnified, then Xu Yi and Wang Xilie may also be stained by this.

Xu Yi is the inspector of Beizhili, and he let Zhang Li and other six people pass the scene during the scientific examination, which is undoubtedly a certain dereliction of duty. Wang Xilie is the deputy chief examiner of this township examination, but he is the one who insists on pushing Zhang Li to the throne of Xie Yuan, and he also bears a certain responsibility.

On the contrary, these two people are Xu Jie's proud protégés, and judging from the relaxed expressions of the two of them, Xu Jie is probably going to help them make this matter a big deal.

Suddenly, he finally understood why Lin Haoran only insisted on severely punishing Zhang Li and did not intend to investigate the relevant officials, and dared to love Lin Haoran had already seen the mystery of this.