If Lin Yanchao was upset the day before the entrance examination, his subordinates were arguing with the examiners.

Then for the more than 5,000 candidates who took the examination, this is the day before the examination.

They weren't full of apprehension and nervousness.

As in previous years, the capital has also opened a handicap, betting that this time it will be a test of who will win the palace test.

Of course, there are big candidates among the candidates.

For example, such as Huating's Tang literature, Dong Qichang, both of them were famous early.

There is also Yuan Zongdao of the public security, the reputation of the public security three Yuan is not only Huguang, but also in the several literary meetings in Beijing, he is also the most powerful and famous bus.

and Yang Daobin from Jinjiang.

Since the Ming Dynasty, there have been many Jinshi among the candidates in Fujian, and they are often ranked among the leaders in the hall examination.

Especially in Jinjiang and Fuzhou, Gong Yongqing of Fuzhou, the champion of Jiajing for five years, Lin Chun of Huikui Fuzhou in the eleventh year of Jiajing, and Chen Jin of Fuzhou, the champion of Jiajing in the thirty-second year.

Longqing's second year list eye Jinjiang Huang Fengxiang.

Especially after the Wanli year, the Fujian people will be crowned three times in a row, such as the fifth year of Wanli will be Kui Jin Jiangsu Jun, the eighth year of Wanli will be Kui Lin Yanchao, and the eleventh year of Wanli is Jinjiang Li Tingji.

And Yang Daobin is also regarded as a big hit.

In addition, Tao Wangling is also famous, his uncle Tao Dalin is the leader of Jiajing for 35 years, and the Tao family has always been a famous family in the imperial examination. In the eyes of the readers, Tao Wangling is Lin Yanchao's proud disciple, Lin Yanchao is busy with affairs after becoming an official, and his Lin disciples are all taught by Tao Wangling.

Therefore, with such knowledge, it is Lin Yanchao's main exam, and Tao Wangling can be said to be difficult to miss.

There is also Gu Yuncheng, the younger brother of Gu Xiancheng, the second Jinshi in the second class in the eighth year of Wanli, whose knowledge is recognized as not below his brother.

Therefore, everyone thought that this year's champion would be produced among these people.

An inn outside Chongwen Gate.

This inn is not another place, it is the place where Sun Chengzong stayed when he was not in Lin Yanchao's mansion to take up his staff.

Now it is about to be the time for the exam, and the inns of all sizes in the capital are full of people who want to enter Beijing to take the exam, so this small inn in Chongwenmen is no exception, and more than 20 candidates have lived.

The inn was full early.

In the firewood room of the inn, Sun Chengzong and his subordinate Sun Daqi were crowded inside.

In the palm-sized place of the firewood room, Sun Chengzong took the package as a desk, and used the firewood pile as a stool to carefully study the article.

Sun Daqi on the side made the bed for Sun Chengzong, and said indignantly: "The shopkeeper of this philistine actually gave us a firewood house, and he actually said that he would take care of the face of the old man?" Is there such a shameless person in the world? ”

Sun Chengzong said: "Don't say it, you make such a big dust, how can I study?" ”

Sun Daqi stopped what he was doing and asked, "Master, you can still read a book?" ”

Sun Chengzong shook his head and asked: "Reading is not being an official, what can't you read?" ”

Sun Daqi spread his hands: "Master, you also know that you want to be an official when you study, I have never heard of a few officials in the past and present who were born in a firewood house?" Which champion will come out in the firewood room? Do you know, sir, tell me about it? ”

In the face of Sun Daqi's ridicule, Sun Chengzong said calmly: "In ancient times, someone could become a prime minister from a civil craftsman, Jiang Ziya was still a fisherman before he left the mountain, why can't he live in a firewood house?" ”

Sun Daqi said: "Isn't this a gold sticker on your face, master?" Okay, I didn't say that I lived in a firewood house, but the bachelor asked you to live in his house, why didn't you? Do you have to come to the inn to live in a firewood room? ”

Sun Chengzong said: "Didn't I say it earlier, sir, he is already a bachelor, and now he will test the examiner, if I live in his house, wouldn't I be suspicious?" What will others think of Mr.? ”

"Then why does Tao Gongzi in Zhejiang still live in the bachelor's house, and he doesn't avoid suspicion?"

Sun Chengzong was stunned when he heard this, and then said: "He is different. He has always been a protégé of Mr., which everyone knows. ”

Sun Daqi immediately said: "Master, that's right." You see that this Tao Gongzi is the protégé of the bachelor, who in this capital does not know, and everyone who heard about it looked down on him, even if the bachelor became the chief examiner, he did not move out. didn't listen to what others criticized, but everyone was saying that this Tao Gongzi was likely to be in high school, and what about you, sir? In front of outsiders, I have never mentioned it, you were the staff of the bachelor back then, if others knew about it, they would not live in the guest room, we would live in the firewood room! Thinking about the shopkeeper's snobbish face, I don't have this anger in my heart. ”

What Sun Daqi said made Sun Chengzong smile.

Sun Chengzong said: "If I take it, I will take it, even if I don't get this subject, there will be the next subject." But if I pass this subject, even if I don't say it, others will know about my relationship with my husband, and it will be even more difficult for my husband to clear his name. Mr. is not only kind to Sun, and dedicated to cultivation, but also better than the teacher, when I did something wrong in Guide, he did not blame me, but helped me make up for it. I, Sun Chengzong, am not a person who does not know how to repay his kindness, no matter how good it is, there must not be anything that hinders his reputation in the slightest. ”

Sun Chengzong sighed lightly, Lin Yanchao told him to go to Beijing to find Zhu Geng.

Sun Chengzong went, but Zhu Geng heard out of nowhere that Sun Chengzong had made a mistake in Guide, thinking that he had offended Lin Yanchao, so he turned his face and didn't recognize anyone, and he was very snub to him.

So Sun Chengzong didn't get help from Zhu Geng.

Sun Daqi shook his head vigorously when he heard this, just when he hated iron but not steel.

But as soon as the door of the firewood room opened, it turned out to be the innkeeper who walked in.

The shopkeeper asked with a smile: "Master Sun, how is this firewood room comfortable?" ”

Sun Daqi said coldly: "The firewood room is comfortable or not, didn't you already know?" ”

Sun Chengzong glared at Sun Daqi, and Sun Daqi snorted and stopped talking.

Sun Chengzong said to the shopkeeper: "Thanks to the care of the shopkeeper, everything is fine for Sun's food and accommodation." ”

The shopkeeper continued to smile and said, "That's good, that's good, Mr. Sun, I'll tell you, it's not that I treat you badly." This firewood house is the feng shui treasure of our inn! Really, you look at the sun here, and this firewood, what does this mean, Xin (salary) Xin (salary) to glory, and then look at this firewood as a bed, it is the learning of the saints, and the torch is passed down from generation to generation! ”

"These are all good signs for high school, not to mention anything else, sleeping here for one night, the whole body is full of warmth, you don't even need to raise a charcoal basin in these February days, and you can't freeze it."

Sun Daqi made a few consecutive sounds, and was stopped by Sun Chengzong's glare.

Sun Chengzong said with a smile: "Thank you shopkeeper, Sun also feels that it is much warmer at night in the firewood room." ”

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I'll just say, we are old customers, so we won't treat you badly." All in all, the benefits of this firewood house, a day and a night are endless, just today the upstairs people also asked me to inquire about the rent of this firewood house, they said that they want to move out of the guest room and change with you, I don't want to refuse for you. ”

"It's just that you also know that such a good place as a firewood house is really ...... Rush, there is such a firewood room in such a big inn as ours, let Mr. Sun live in you. And Mr. Sun, the money you paid for the house is coming in a blink of an eye, and when the time comes, do I want to keep it for you? ”

"Of course, of course. Bring me the money for the house. ”

With a reluctant face, Sun Daqi took out a blanket from the bed made of firewood.

Looking at the shabby blanket, the corners of the shopkeeper's mouth curled, and the contempt passed by, and then he said with a smile on his face: "The monthly house money is not more than three taels of silver, and I have benefited it." ”

Sun Chengzong said at the moment: "It's not expensive, it's not expensive." What are you still doing in a daze? ”

"Is it still a month to live in a firewood house? Still taking care? ”

Sun Daqi reluctantly took money from the blanket and gave it to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper took it in his hand and immediately smiled, and immediately instructed the shopkeeper: "Add a fish to Mr. Sun tonight, so that you can make up for it, and you will not forget your benefits when you come to high school in Japan." ”

The shopkeeper responded immediately.

The shopkeeper immediately left the firewood room after receiving the money, came to the counter and weighed the silver, and sneered: "Just this poor sour and still take the examination of the Jinshi, which one of the people is so cold, I have been on this cabinet for so many years with a pair of fiery eyes, who can be hit, who can't, I don't know?" I also want to live in a firewood house and dream! ”

And in the Lin Mansion.

Chen Jichuan got the report from his family and learned that Sun Chengzong lived in a firewood house, so he couldn't help but smile.

The family said: "The master wanted us to take care of Mr. Sun, but if he came back and knew that Mr. Sun lived in the firewood house, he would not be able to spare us." ”

Chen Jichuan waved his hand and said, "It's okay, I'll take care of everything." ”

The family Ding looked puzzled and said: "Before, you asked me to wait at Zhu Shilang's side to let out the news, so that Zhu Shilang thought that Mr. Sun was at odds with the old man and drove Mr. Sun out." These little ones don't understand, can the housekeeper make the little ones understand a thing or two. ”

Chen Jichuan said: "Don't ask, I've been by my master's side for so long, how to help the master, I don't know better than you?" Just do what you're told. ”

After speaking, Chen Jichuan took a sip of tea.

And at this moment, inside the Gongyuan.

Lin Yanchao has just returned to his examiner's room from Jukui Hall, and he has been busy for a day before the exam starts, thinking about the exam tomorrow, his own affairs are no less than those of the candidates, so he thinks about resting early.

At that moment, Lin Yanchao ordered someone to fetch a basin of hot water, and then rest after washing his face and feet.

The person who came left the room with a basin of hot water, Lin Yanchao closed his eyes and recuperated, walked to the hot water and was about to throw a towel to wash his face, but saw a letter on the bookcase at some point, which was pressed under the book he read during the day.

Lin Yanchao's eyes sharpened when he saw this, and he didn't see the bookcase when he entered the house.

When and by whom did this letter arrive?

Lin Yanchao remained silent, walked to the bookcase and went to the letter, which was not signed.

Lin Yanchao couldn't help but say to himself, there really is no impermeable wall in this world, and in a place like this Gongyuan that is closed inside and outside and isolated from news, there are people who can send this letter to him, the chief examiner.

Such a means can be described as a miracle.

Then the content of the letter can be understood without guessing.

Lin Yanchao took the letter, opened the lamp, and wanted to burn it on the candle, but after thinking about it, he stopped.

Lin Yanchao opened the letter and looked at the contents of the letter.

A moment later, Lin Yanchao slapped the letter on the table with one palm, and his anger flashed.