Wei Bao didn't say anything, nodded with a smile, and walked away with Wang Qiuya, Fan Tou and a group of followers.

"Childe, how did you do in the exam?" Wang Qiuya couldn't help but ask after helping Wei Bao order a few plates of his favorite snacks.

Wei Bao took a big sip of a cup of tea and said with a smile: "I don't know!" Don't talk about exams anymore, let's talk nonsense, and when the list is opened, won't you know everything? ”

"Yes, not to mention the scientific examination, Childe must be in high school." Fan smiled very well, diverted the topic, and accompanied Wei Bao to talk about things in the shopping malls and officialdom in the capital.

Wei Bao was very interested in outside things because he couldn't leave the local area during this time, especially Jingshi, and Fan's eloquence was already very good, so he talked with Fan Datou with relish.

Today, the business of the teahouse opposite the government is very good, and all of them are full, which is fortunate that Wei Bao handed in the papers early, otherwise he would not have been able to get a place at all.

Most of these people are relatives and friends of the candidates' families, and there are gamblers who come to wait for the results and wait for the results of Wei Bao's scientific examination.

This time, the people who bet on the test show in the Wei Bao Examination Institute are all people with family backgrounds, because Wei Bao stipulates that the minimum bet amount cannot be less than one or two lines of silver, which is equivalent to restricting the people who have no money, and the people can't even eat, where to get one or two lines of silver to bet?

The people in the teahouse were chatting, looking at Wei Bao from time to time, Wei Bao knew why these people looked at themselves, they all expected to make a fortune from their own hospital exams, and they didn't care.

"Do you see it, that's Wei Bao."

"So small, huh? Is there fifteen? Can such a small person also take the test? ”

"I heard that it's only 14 years old, and it doesn't matter how old I am when I take the test."

"I mean, at such a young age, how long has it been since you went to school? Have you finished studying the Four Books and the Five Classics? Just take the test for Xiucai. ”

"I heard that Wei Bao has only been enrolled for ten days."

"Huh? Only ten days into school? Have you ever been a child? Does that mean that Wei Bao is very good at reading? The money won't be wasted now, will it? ”

"No, no one has been in Xiucai in Liaoxi and Liaodong for more than ten years, where can I go to the water? This has nothing to do with what happens in the exam, the rules will not change because of Wei Bao alone, right? ”

A group of people whispered and discussed, and Wei Bao occasionally heard a few words, just thinking it was funny.

Fan was a little unhappy, he didn't like people talking about Wei Gongzi behind his back, and said softly: "Childe, why don't you go back to the Maritime Chamber of Commerce Pavilion first and wait for news?" I'll just keep it here, and when the list is opened, I'll go tell Childe the news right away. ”

"It's okay, others can say whatever they like." Wei Bao smiled slightly: "It's a blessing or a curse, it's a disaster that can't be avoided!" Wait a minute, if I don't have Zhongxiucai, so many people will definitely find the Tiandi business name together to run! It will be even more troublesome when the time comes. ”

After Wei Bao finished speaking, his heart began to feel worried, he had imagined the worst plan before, that is, he didn't have Zhongxiucai, but he didn't come up with a good way to deal with it, because there wasn't so much silver!

After receiving more than 300,000 taels of silver, he has to pay at least more than 30,000 taels of silver, where did he get so much silver?

Fan no longer persuaded Gongzi to go first, and used his eloquence to tell Wei Bao about the business of the Tiandi merchants in various places.

The business of Tiandi Firm in Beizhili is mostly a decent grain and cloth business, because there is no first-hand source of goods, they are just buying the goods in the hands of the second dealers, and then reselling them, relying on a large number of inflows and large quantities of outflows, basically not making money, just maintained.

Wei Bao told Liu Chunshi and Fan Datou at the beginning, and Wei Bao only asked them to build a sales framework first and cultivate the backbone sales force of Tiandi Firm, that's all.

After waiting for almost an hour, most of the candidates had already handed in their papers, and they came out one after another, waiting outside the government office to open the list.

In fact, at this time, the masters in the government had already begun to revise the papers, and did not wait for the exam to be completely over.

The revision of the paper was also carried out in public, and it was placed on the edge of the examination room, with more than a dozen masters, each with a table, taking turns to check the test papers and annotating their own comments on the side.

The comments of the four questions will be summed together and will be the final score of the candidate.

Then, according to the results, four lists are listed.

This list is of little significance, because in previous years, the college examination lists on the side of Liaodong in Liaoxi and Liaodong were all off the list, so the ranking in the A list, B list, C list, and D list is not much different for candidates, but if they are ranked in the C list and the D list, the face is not good-looking.

By the time the last candidate submits the papers, all the previous candidates' test papers have been corrected.

Wu Xiang, who had been chatting, waited for the officials who had placed heavy bets, as well as the people waiting outside the examination room, were all anxious at this time, and everyone wanted to know the final results of the exam immediately.

"Childe, it seems that the change is almost finished." Liu Chunshi said. Liu Chunshi made the papers very carefully, and every time he took the scientific examination, he took it seriously, and he really took his life in the scientific examination. Liu Chunshi was the penultimate person to hand in the papers, and the last person to hand in the papers waited until the time was completely exhausted before the examiner urged him to hand in the papers.

Wei Bao stood up and said, "Let's go, go and wait at the gate of the Daofu Yamen." ”

A group of people hurriedly followed Wei Bao over.

The entrance of the government is dominated by candidates, and when many people saw Wei Bao coming, they all gathered around to ask Wei Bao's results, and asked Wei Bao how he felt about his exam?

In the teahouse, most of the people who bet are not the ones who participate in the scientific examination, and they will not ask so much, and those who have personally experienced the scientific examination are still students, and no matter what age the students are, they are relatively simple, so they will ask directly.

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "I don't know, aren't I also waiting?" How did you do in the exam? ”

Everyone sighed and said that it was so difficult.

However, many of the candidates are very happy, because what they care about is not whether they can be admitted to the show, what they care about is the silver they bet this time, don't waste it! Just make money.

"Wei Gongzi looks like he has a plan?" Wu Sanfu stood beside Liao Fuzi with a smile and said.

Originally, Wu Xiang stayed in the courtyard of the mansion and waited for the results of the exam to come out, Wu Sangui and Wu Xuexia both stayed with Wu Xiang, and Wu Sanfu could also stay inside, but Wu Sanfu was also one of the candidates because he participated in this college exam, so in order to avoid suspicion, he waited outside the mansion with all the sons and brothers.

Wei Bao heard Wu Sanfu say this, and smiled indifferently: "Wu Gongzi just took the test, okay?" I'm so nervous now, if I don't show off this time, maybe I won't be able to save my life! ”

When a group of boys heard Wei Bao say this, they laughed out loud together, they couldn't control their joy if they wanted to, they just wanted to see Wei Bao's miserable appearance, the more miserable Wei Bao was, the more miserable Wei Bao was, they would be able to make an appointment later!

Zheng Zhongfei squinted at Wei Bao, secretly thinking that you had told the truth once, if not, see what compensation you take!

Although everyone didn't know how much gambling money Wei Bao had collected this time, everyone estimated that it would not be less than 250,000 taels of silver, but they didn't know that before Wei Bao entered the examination room, when the final bet was closed, there were several semicolons of the Tiandi firm, and a total of 380,000 taels of silver were collected!

This is an astronomical amount for the Ming Dynasty! The tax of the entire Beizhili for a year is only about 700,000 taels of silver, and Wei Bao is a village, which is equal to the tax of the entire Beizhili for half a year.

"If you want me to say, it's still Wei Gongzi who is amazing, such a big thing, he can still laugh, and his mentality is not ordinarily good." Wang Dongming teased softly.

At this time, no one deliberately scolded Wei Bao, because they thought of waiting to win money, and they didn't want to make extraneous branches! Therefore, even if he said bad things about Wei Bao, he was soft-spoken, as if he was afraid that he would be scared away by the silver that was about to arrive.

Because Wei Bao said when he announced the announcement before, no matter how much he bets, as long as he redeems it with a ticket, all the semicolons of the Tiandi firm will exchange silver for everyone at the first time!

All, all the people who bet on it, are carrying the contract on their bodies, and they are waiting for the results to be announced to redeem it.

And only Wei Bao knows where to redeem it?

He has already made arrangements for how much silver there is, how much silver will be transported to the treasury in the gold mountain, and the branch of the heaven and earth business outside is not allowed to leave much cash!

Wei Bao has never planned or prepared to lose from beginning to end.

"Can he not be powerful? If you dare to bet, you must dare to lose! Wang Canhua smiled: "There will be a time when he loses and cries." ”

"It should be almost done, right? The heart of the waiter is panicked. Fang Anping didn't say anything this time, his eyes kept staring at the mansion compound.

At this time, in the center of the compound of the government office, there were only academic officials, the head of the Ministry of Rites and several officials from the Ministry of Rites who came to do things, and then the scholars of Yongping Mansion.

"Lord Xiong, the correction of the test paper has been completed, and four lists have been listed, 19 people on the A list, 19 people on the B list, 19 people on the C list, 20 people on the D list, a total of 77 candidates who participated in this college examination, all of them are included in the list." Yongping Mansion reported to Lord Xiong, the head of the Ministry of Rites from Jingshilai.

Master Xiong nodded and looked at the list, there were only students' number plates on the list, and until this moment, the names of the students were still blindfolded, and I didn't know which candidate had taken the test and how many.

Wu Xiang and other officials were waiting on the side of the courtyard, they were not convenient to go over according to the rules, but they could clearly see the whole process of revising the scroll, and they could hear the conversation between the masters, the conversation between the Yongping Mansion and the head of the Ministry of Rites, Lord Xiong, everyone knew that the whole process was not a little boring, and they were more assured.

Although the audience outside the courtyard of the government couldn't hear what the people inside were saying, the whole process was public, and they didn't think there was anything wrong.

"Do you know how Wei Bao is doing?" Wu Xiang asked Zu Guangyao and Zu Chuncai beside him.

Zu Guangyao also looked at Zu Chuncai: "Didn't you go in and inquire just now?" What do you think? ”

"I don't know, the name is still covered at this time, who knows which scroll Wei Bao is?" Zu Chuncai said helplessly, "But don't worry, the most important thing now is to see that the head of the Ministry of Rites will pass a few talents in our western Liaoning this time!" If you can't do one, how much does Wei Bao take it? ”

A few people nodded, everyone fell silent, now so nervous, although everyone is sure to get a huge amount of money, but still inevitably nervous, this is the charm of gambling, until the final opening of the moment, no one knows what the result is.

"Lord Xiong, how many talents can we pass in Liaoxi and Liaodong this time?" The student officer of Yongpyeong Mansion asked.

"All the first list has passed!" Xiong Daren.

"Huh?" Yongping Mansion Ti Xue Guan is simply not scared of the soul flying out of the sky, he himself also made a heavy bet on Wei Bao not to show talent, and under 300 taels of silver, if Wei Bao is in the first list, he really has to eat soil for half a year, it doesn't matter if he eats soil alone, there is a family of more than a dozen people behind the buttocks, the school official is not a rich errand, the silver he used to gamble, or ran to the old man's house to deceive more than 200 taels of silver, only a few dozen taels of silver is his own.

The voice of the Yongping Mansion official was not small, but it was still not as big as one hundredth of the sound made by Wu Xiang and the other dozens of officials in the courtyard of the government.

The voices of these people are extraordinarily neat, especially Wu Xiang and Wu Sangui's father and son!

A group of people heard Lord Xiong, the head of the Ministry of Rites, say that all the first-class students passed the show this time, and they almost fainted without being frightened.

How many people do you have to pass this at one time? The whole first list? There have to be twenty younger, right?

The people outside the government compound heard an exclamation from inside, and everyone didn't know what was going on, so they all stretched out their heads and looked at it! I can't wait to grow ears with the wind.

"What's going on inside?" Wu Sanfu asked a few sons around him.

Several people shook their heads, and they all said that they didn't hear it, but they heard the screaming inside, and they didn't know what was happening.

"Isn't it the same as in previous years, the director of the Ministry of Rites said that no one was admitted to Xiucai this time, so everyone shouted happily?" Wang Dongming made up his own brain.

"It's not, looking at everyone's expressions, it's not like shouting with joy, right?" Wu Sanfu analyzed.

Although Wu Sanfu also blocked more than 1,000 taels of silver, however, it was all the silver he saved on weekdays, and it was not beyond his ability, as a Buddhist youth, Wu Sanfu was not as ruthless as other sons, borrowed money to gamble, and did not bet 50,000 taels of silver at a time like his father Wu Xiang!

Wu Xiang put down 50,000 taels of silver, Wu Sanfeng did not lag much behind, and placed 14,000 taels of silver, Wu Sanfu heard that his eldest brother took out all the silver, and secretly took his wife's dowry to the Wu family's pawnshop and withdrew a lot of silver.

This kind of overdraft of money in his own pawnshop was originally against the family rules of the Wu family, but after Wu Xiang heard about it this time, he also turned a blind eye to Wu Sanfeng's behavior, because Wu Xiang felt that no matter how much money he put down, he would be able to make money this time.

At this time, where would Wu Xiang in the courtyard of the government think that this trip to the Ministry of Rites would actually let Liaoxi and Liaodong have so many talents? Impossible, right?

"Lord Xiong, what's the secret here? The entire list of people has passed the show? Wu Xiang couldn't hold back any longer, and stepped forward to ask.

The other sixty or seventy officials in the compound of the prefect's yamen, as well as a group of officials of the prefect's yamen, the head of the officer, and the errand officials, also stepped forward to question one after another.

These people, one counts as one, and they all bet, and no one can afford to lose.

Lord Xiong frowned: "What?" Any questions? You've heard that there are a lot of talents on this trip, but you're not happy? You're not a local parent officer? Don't you want local students to be motivated? ”

Everyone was dumbfounded by Lord Xiong's words, indeed, how many talents will be passed by the Ministry of Rites in Liaoxi and Liaodong, and it is not their turn to speak, they should be happy.

And Lord Xiong just said that the first list passed the show, which is very reasonable.

"No, Lord Xiong, wasn't that the case in previous years? For more than ten years, Beizhili has given us the index of Wuju people to Liaoxi Liaodong, and we Liaodong Liaodong have given the student source index of Xiucai to Beizhili, which is already an unwritten rule, right? Wu Xiang asked.

Zu Guangyao, who had made a heavy bet, also said anxiously: "Yes, Lord Xiong, it has been more than ten years of rules, but there has never been a time when we have passed so many talents in Liaoxi and Liaodong at one time?" Could there be something hidden in this? ”

The questioning of everyone made Lord Xiong very annoyed, and he said loudly: "What is the secret? I have here the text of Lord Xu Dahua, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, and there is also the seal of the celebrant on it! It is required that the current department increase the passage of the test source of the Liaodong Academy in Liaoxi, more than half, or even all, as appropriate, I will only be admitted to the first list, do you want me to pass all of them? ”

Lord Xiong said and took out the official document of the Ministry of Rites to show everyone.

Wu Xiang took it, wiped his eyes, and looked carefully, sure enough, as Lord Xiong said, more than half or even all of them can be admitted? I didn't expect the Ministry of Rites to issue such an official document? And there is also the seal of the celebrant supervisor, which is equivalent to a nail in the coffin!

Everyone looked at the official document in his hand around Wu Xiang with anxiety, sweating profusely, it was early spring weather at this time, and it was still relatively cold, but everyone's backs were soaked, and they only felt that their clothes were wrapped in a thick layer of mud, which was extremely uncomfortable.

"The imperial court's imperial examination to select talents, it's not your local government's turn to obstruct it, right? Besides, you should have hoped that the imperial court would hire as many people as possible, so that your children in Liaoxi and Liaodong could improve? Why are you all so nervous? Lord Xiong was puzzled: "Now that the list has been entered, it's time to release the list!" The hour has come. ”

Everyone listened to Lord Xiong's words, but no one moved, and the school official of Yongping Mansion was supposed to be responsible for opening the list, but at this time, it was like being nailed to the spot, motionless.

"What? Didn't you hear me? Lord Xiong urged: "If you don't open the list, do you want the people of our Ministry of Rites to open the list themselves?" How unreasonable, Little Four! You go and open the list! ”

Lord Xiong said to a scrivener next to him, and the scrivener agreed, and he would go to the list instead of Yongping Mansion's school.

Wu Xiang's mind was already disordered, frowning, and his mind was blank.

Wu Sangui saw that his father was unhappy and wanted to say something, but was stopped by Wu Xuexia!