"Hehe, thanks to Brother Zu!" Wei Bao said, and with a smile, he took out a stack of 500 taels of silver tickets from his sleeve pocket.

Zu Chuncai's eyes lit up, nodded and smiled: "That's right, here first, congratulations to my brother for passing the government exam, and now he is officially a child." ”

Zu Chuncai naturally took the silver ticket and looked at it, was startled, and said embarrassedly: "Brother, just a child, brother is too polite!" Where do you need all these silver tickets? ”

"Yes, yes, what is my friendship with my eldest brother? We associate with each other as equals, whether rich or poor! Big brother can afford to look at me Wei Bao, and Wei Bao is grateful. Wei Bao said sincerely.

"That being said, my brother's silver didn't fall from the sky, which makes my eldest brother really embarrassed." Zu Chuncai said.

Wei Bao listened to Zu Chuncai's words, and had a good impression of Zu Chuncai, after receiving the money, he could still say this kind of thing, which was already very good, most of the officialdom figures, that is, they were greedy and lackluster than the snake swallowing elephants, even if they ate the earth and the universe raw, it was not too much.

"Big brother doesn't need to be modest, without big brother, I'm not even a child now." Wei Bao laughed.

"You can buy it, you can buy the fame of the Ming Dynasty, and you can also donate to the official." Zu Chuncai said with a smile: "Our part of Liaoxi and Liaodong actually disdain to test fame, otherwise there are many families who can donate officials to buy fame." For example, Tongsheng, at most 50 taels of silver, Xiucai at most 200 taels, can be bought at any time. It is not easy to buy people, but as long as there is a show of talent and fame, you can donate officials, a county is about 2,000 taels of silver, and Zhizhou is 3,000 taels of silver to 5,000 taels of silver, depending on the wealth of the place, depending on the location. The prefect should have at least 10,000 taels of silver. ”

Wei Bao probably knows some of these things: "Big brother, I don't want to donate officials, and I'm not in a hurry to be an official, I want to rely on the upright imperial examination to gain fame and enter the official career." ”

When Zu Chun heard this, he was secretly funny, secretly thinking that you have to 'find a way' even to take the test for a child, just a little water, how can you sway it? "Brother, don't you still want to be a showman, a Zhongju person, a jinshi, and then the title of the gold list?"

After Zu Chun finished speaking, because he had a good relationship with Wei Bao, he laughed first.

Wei Bao looked at Zu Chuncai with a smile out of breath, and said sullenly: "Big brother, is it so funny?" ”

"Brother, don't talk about you, even I'm just a child." Zu Chuncai reluctantly sat up straight, and then said with a smile: "If the scientific examination is so easy, what else can I do for others?" I don't directly take the Jinshi background, and when I come out, I am at least a seventh-grade official, and after so many years, at least I am a fifth-grade official. ”

Wei Bao didn't pick up Zu Chuncai's stubble, and asked: "Big brother, in my opinion, our students in eastern and western Liaoxi are not very bad, why hasn't anyone been a talent show in the past ten years?" What's the problem? ”

"We don't have a separate college exam, we are combined with Beizhili, and they have all taken out the indicators. On the one hand, Beizhili's education is waiting for us to donate fame, and on the other hand, our family doesn't care much about fame. But in terms of Wuju people, Beizhili is letting us, and generally Wuju people are from Liaoxi and Liaodong. Therefore, there are few talents, so they do not occupy the indicators of their scientific examinations, and there are many people in Wuju, and they also let us form a balance, just like that, everyone is happy. ”

Wei Bao sighed, and suddenly realized, is this what is going on?

"Big brother, this is very unfair to an ordinary child like me who doesn't have a family background as a backer, there is no way to take the martial arts, and there is no chance for the imperial examination!" Wei Bao said indignantly.

"What's the solution? We are located here at the border pass, which is originally heavy on military and light on literature, you look at the Yongping Mansion Yamen, as well as the Yamen of Jiliao Governor, the guard commander of Shanhaiguan, all command the envoys, which yamen is not a Wuju people? We don't need any civil officials here, and outsiders don't want to come to our western and eastern Liaoning. Zu Chuncai explained.

Wei Bao nodded, got up and beckoned someone to serve the food: "Big brother, let's talk while eating, I just want to ask for a solution." ”

"Xiucai?" Zu Chuncai wondered.

Wei Bao nodded: "Yes, I have to show talent, the cow is blown out." ”

Zu Chuncai looked at Wei Bao with a smile: "That's no fun, you cow, I'm afraid it's going to blow up, it's been like this for more than ten years, everyone is used to things, it's hard to be flexible." How much effort do you have to work on to unblock the joints? Moreover, Daming is the strictest in grasping fraud in the scientific field, once fraud is discovered, it will be a raid on the family, and a heavy one will be the nine clans! I helped you pass the children's exam, that's because it's not easy to find out the flaws, but the test is different, when the time comes, the masters selected by the various prefectures will cross-mark the papers, and the Beijing Teacher Rite Department will review them, and there will be almost no chance. Moreover, hundreds of people participated in the scientific examination, if you won the test alone, wouldn't the entire people in Liaoxi and Liaodong who participated in the scientific examination hate you to death? It will definitely chase you and say that you have a problem. ”

"What if everyone gets hit?" Wei Bao asked.

"Everyone's hit? You said that hundreds of people who participated in the scientific expedition were all talented? How is this possible? Unless there is a holy decree. Zu Chuncai smiled and said: "I served Wei Gongzi, I don't know how your brain was born, brother?" There are always a lot of different answers. ”

Wei Bao didn't answer, but he had an idea, and suddenly thought of Wang Tiqian's head, Wang Tiqian is a great eunuch with palm prints, and he can go directly to heaven at any time, and it is very convenient to get a holy decree, and it is just a trivial matter like a scientific expedition in Liaoxi, for them, it is not a matter, right? Wei Bao instantly had a plan.

Zu Chuncai saw that Wei Bao didn't speak, thinking that Wei Bao was a little unhappy because he couldn't help, so he smiled and said: "Brother, don't think about it, donate a showman's fame, or a few taels of silver, for brothers, it's trivial, otherwise, I'll help my brother donate one, right?" ”

He was a little reluctant to accept Wei Bao's 500 taels of silver silver tickets at one time, so he proposed so.

Wei Bao hurriedly said: "Big brother, don't get me wrong, these 500 taels of silver are nothing, I'm afraid that I will neglect the gift during the New Year's holiday, so I will give the eldest brother more at one time, and I want to trouble the eldest brother to help me prepare a gift for Lord Zu Guangyao, I am very busy during this time, I originally came to visit, it seems that I can't spare it." ”

"It's easy to do, it's on my brother." When Zu Chuncai heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief, "I will spend two or three hundred taels of silver to give Zu Daren a beautiful woman, and then buy a good house, and he will keep it to heaven." ”

Wei Bao was overjoyed when he heard this: "Then thank you big brother, will it make the eldest brother too expensive?" Shall I give this money? ”

"Look down on your big brother, don't you? Don't argue, it's settled. Zu Chuncai said with a smile.

"Okay, just follow the eldest brother." Wei Bao smiled, and then drank bitterly with Zu Chuncai.

Zu Chuncai left with a full meal and wine, and Wei Bao hurriedly summoned Wang Qiuya: "Lin Wenbiao is not there?" ”

"No, what's the matter with Childe?" Wang Qiuya asked.

"It doesn't matter if it's not there, let people immediately send 2,000 taels of silver tickets and a message to Jingshi, to my brother-in-law Li Chengne." Wei Bao said to Wang Qiuya: "Let Master Li Chengnei transfer the silver ticket and news to Fangjia Hutong, Chongjiaofang, Dongzhimen Street, and say, I will take the test this time, and ask for a must-win strategy!" Do it now. ”

Among Wei Bao's entourage, there are people from the Statistics Bureau, and Wei Bao himself can issue orders at any time, and he does not need to convey them through Lin Wenbiao.

Wei Bao said and handed Wang Qiuya a silver ticket of two thousand taels of silver.

Fangjia Hutong of Chongjiaofang on Dongzhimen Street is the address that Wang Tiqian originally told Wei Bao, and it is the residence of the nephew of Wang Tiqian's henchman eunuch.

If you have an urgent matter, you can ask someone to go there.

Wang Qiuya took the silver ticket and promised to go down.

"Remember, hurry up, go immediately, and within three days, be sure to send back the news!" Wei Bao ran to the door again and admonished.

Wang Qiuya turned around and agreed, and quickened her pace.

Wei Bao wiped his sweat, sat by the window, and looked at the scenery outside the window, and the people of this era outside the window were thoughtful.

Now it seems that whether or not you can pass the Xiucai test can only depend on Wang Tiqian! This is his last move!

Looking for spring all day long, there is no spring, and the mango shoes step through the clouds.

Returning to smell the plum blossoms, spring has been very much in the branches.

Life, no matter how much you have experienced, in the end, you just want to keep the watery years.

In front of the court, look at the falling flowers, the flowers bloom and fall, and the days will be the taste of a cup of tea.

Wei Bao took a sip of tea, the wine dissipated a lot, and the secret road still don't think too much, everything that should be done has already been done, even if he really lost to Wu Sangui 10,000 taels of silver, even if he really can't pass the scientific examination, he can't enter the career in the glorious way of the gold list title, it's not what he wants, there is no way.

After a sleep, Wei Bao continued to enter the mode of reading, practicing martial arts, meditating, sleeping, etc., he is an otaku, he doesn't like to go around, and occasionally likes to be lively, most of the time, he still likes this quiet way.

After three days like this, Wei Bao was a little anxious and asked Wang Qiuya: "Today is the day, why hasn't the news been sent back from the capital?" The hospital exam will be held in five days! ”

Wang Qiuya explained: "Childe, don't panic, here from Beijing, it will take four or five days to go back and forth at the earliest, Childe said that it is three days, the people below can only do their best, and there is no guarantee that they will arrive on time, and besides, after Lord Li Chengnei delivers the news, he has to wait for a reply, maybe that link is delayed, right?" ”

Wei Bao nodded, this is what he is most worried about, he is afraid that even Wang Tiqian will not be able to do it, or Wang Tiqian will feel that this matter is too small and will not be willing to care.

Wei Bao felt that 2,000 taels of silver, spending money to buy a Xiucai, was already more than Zu Chuncai said about donating a Xiucai, ten times the price, and the money was definitely a lot.

Besides, Wei Bao is not a temporary Buddha, he left the capital for less than two months, and sent Wang Tiqian tens of thousands of taels of silver before and after, which is the only relationship he has left in the court at present.

Otherwise, Wei Bao would not have always regarded Wang Tiqian as his last big move.

"Whenever there is news from the capital, you must tell me as soon as possible." Wei Bao said to Wang Qiuya.

"Don't worry, Childe, rest early." Wang Qiuya smiled.

Wei Bao sighed, you people, all of you are not in a hurry or impatient, it seems that no one can understand the significance of brother's development route to brother.

In the eyes of Wei Bao's subordinates, Wei Bao's development is already very remarkable, only a month or two later, he already has a large field, a stable big landlord. And the business outside Weijiazhuang is very stable, although the new products such as soap, matches and kerosene lamps have not completely opened the market, but Wei Bao's other businesses, inns, restaurants, and some shops of the Tiandi firm, are all considered decent, and there is no problem in surviving.

And Wei Bao's conditions for those shops are also very simple, requiring them to maintain their operations, and there is no requirement for how much profit is generated every month, so Wei Bao's stores have a very positive mentality and are very stable in operation.

Such an achievement, not to mention Wei Bao's subordinates, is the entire business community in western Liaoning, officialdom, and the entire business community and officialdom in Beizhili, all of whom are red-eyed, because Wei Bao is a person with no family background, and an ordinary farmer's child can do this in a short period of time, which is very remarkable!

Although some people know that Wei Bao recognized Dong Li Niangniang's younger brother Li Chengnei as his righteous brother, everyone knows that Dong Li Niangniang is the type of outsider idler, generally does not ask about the government affairs of the imperial court, and belongs to a person with no power in Beijing, so everyone at most regards the relationship between Wei Bao and Li Chengnei as a protective umbrella for Wei Bao, anyway, as long as Dong Li Niangniang is there, no one will touch Wei Bao casually.

Everyone will never think that Wei Bao's business is doing well and developing well, because of the relationship between Li Chengnei and Dong Li Niangniang, without him, because Li Chengnei himself is also very bad, as Niangniang's younger brother, he is just a brocade cloth and a hundred households, and among the relatives of the emperor, this is already very poor.

Wei Bao simply ate dinner, played a set of punches, and then bathed and changed clothes, meditated two incense sticks, and was about to go to bed early.

"Childe, there's news from the capital!" Wang Qiuya said softly outside the door at this time.

Wei Baoyan's step out of the distance, about three or four meters away, scared himself, practice is like this, unconsciously, under the mentality of asking for nothing, the progress is fast.

Wei Bao originally regarded martial arts training as self-defense and the fun of strengthening his body, and he was not very worried about being beaten into a pig's head by Wu Sangui, so his mentality was very good. Rejoice.

Wei Bao opened the door suddenly: "What's the news?" ”

"The messenger is in the side hall." Wang Qiuya said.

Wei Bao nodded, and went to the side hall in person, the relatives were drinking tea and eating cakes, and when they saw that Gongzi had arrived, they hurriedly stood up, their mouths were still full of cakes, and muttered, "Childe." ”

Wei Bao hurriedly said: "Don't worry, drink saliva, swallow everything in your mouth before talking!" ”

The man hurriedly muttered, poured a cup of tea, wiped his mouth, and then said: "The words passed back by Lord Li Chengnei are to reassure Gongzi that Xiucai's affairs are stable, but what the palace means is that Gongzi should not find Fangjia Hutong in Chongjiaofang for the imperial examination in the future, and they can't control this kind of imperial examination matter in the future." ”

Wei Bao sighed, and jumped a little in place in ecstasy, he just took this scientific examination, and he could justifiably take a show, and for the time being, he couldn't think of taking the examiner and being so far away from the Jinshi.

As long as you can justifiably get the fame of Xiucai, if you really can't pass the test when the time comes, you can find an opportunity to open up the joints, buy a fame for lifting people, and then buy an official to do it.

Wei Bao mainly doesn't want to spend money all the way, if it gets out like that, others say that he is just a child's level, which is really too ugly to say.

Wang Qiuya and the entourage, neither of them has ever seen Wei Gongzi's appearance, in fact, the people around Wei Bao have never seen Wei Bao's gaffe, it seems that no matter how big the matter, Wei Bao can stay calm and calm, and he can do it without panic.

Wei Bao smiled, and realized that he was a little out of shape, and smiled slightly: "It's good, let's continue to eat, and reward five taels of silver!" ”

With great joy, he hurriedly said: "President, the reward is too heavy, I can't afford it." That's what I'm supposed to do. ”

"It's okay, I'm happy, this matter should be kept strictly secret, do you hear?" Wei Bao laughed.

"Yes, the president's affairs, no matter how small, are confidential, and our people in the Statistics Department are all trained." The man replied immediately.

Wei Bao nodded in satisfaction, turned back to the house, and went to sleep.

Wang Qiuya came over after a while, and said in surprise: "Childe, it's okay now, is there no problem with the matter of taking the Xiucai test?" ”

Wei Bao smiled: "The palace said that there is no problem, there must be no problem!" ”

Wang Tiqian's matter is known to him and Li Chengnei, and he once told Li Chengnei not to talk about it everywhere, so it is also kept secret internally.

At the beginning in the capital, although Luo Yangxing and others also knew that Wang Tiqian had seen Wei Bao on behalf of Wei Zhongxian, everyone didn't know that Wei Bao had a secret conversation with Wang Tiqian, and no one could have imagined that with just a cup of tea, Wei Bao hugged Wang Tiqian's big tree and recognized Wang Tiqian as his uncle.

Therefore, this is the biggest secret of Wei Bao so far, except for the Zhenyuan ship.

Wang Qiuya nodded happily: "This is great, these days, for the sake of the son's examination of Xiucai, I have not been able to sleep soundly at night, so I am worried about where to raise 10,000 taels of silver, and I will hand it over to Wu Sangui when the time comes." ”

Wei Bao sneered: "You look down on me so much? Do you think I will definitely lose to Wu Sangui? ”

"No, no, no." Wang Qiuya hurriedly waved her hand and explained: "It's not that I can't look down on my son, but I haven't shown off my talents in Liaoxi and Liaodong for more than ten years, I know this is a difficult thing, so I'm worried." ”

Wei Bao smiled: "Don't be nervous, I won't blame you for what you do or think, just don't think about Zheng Zhongfei." ”

Wei Bao was happy, hugged Wang Qiuya's slender waist tightly, and hugged Wang Qiuya upright.