The next day after the feast of the Lintoe Palace, the sunlight penetrated into the room through the carved gap of the window edge, sprinkled on the ground and mottled, Xuan Shaoning got up very early, and when he first entered the palace of the king of Yu, he was not used to anything; Second, over the years, the habit of getting up early at Castle Peak College has not changed; Third, it is because he promised to get together today when he separated from Xiao Moyan yesterday, and he didn't want to slack off.

After getting dressed, with a squeak, Xuan Shaoning opened the door and took a deep breath of the moist air of the early morning, the location of the wing room where he was located was remote and quiet, and what Xuan Shaoning liked the most was the emperor cherry tree in the small courtyard, with a thick trunk, a canopy covering the sun, lush branches and leaves, and colorful falling flowers. Xuan Shaoning stretched his waist, walked to the emperor cherry, touched a leaf closest to him with his hand, a crystal dew suddenly rolled into his palm, Xuan Shaoning raised his hand and smelled it, the quiet aroma seeped into the nostrils, penetrated into the brain, and was refreshed.

"Yuwangfu is like his person, simple and introverted," Xuan Shaoning said to himself.

As the king of the county, the regulation of the palace of the king of Yu is obviously not very compatible with the king of Yu, the whole palace is only three into, some of the knockers on the vermilion door of the paint have faintly had a patina, around the shadow wall is the main hall, after the verandah is the school martial arts field, the bedroom, study, and meeting hall of the king of Yu are here, and then there is the ear room and the wing room, the layout is very simple. Because King Yu has never been married, the servants in the house are all old slaves.

Walking around, Xuan Shaoning unconsciously walked to the vicinity of the school martial arts field, and happened to meet King Yu who had changed into civilian clothes after the morning exercise.

"General!" Xuan Shaoning gave a military salute.

When King Yu saw it, he nodded, "Now in the capital, not in the barracks, the military salute is exempt." My father has allowed me to stay a little longer, and today I will go into the palace to see my mother, so you can do as you please. ”

"Yes!"

Xuan Shaoning followed King Yu to the gate, watched King Yu ride away, calculated the time and the agreed time was slightly different from the agreed time, and was ready to turn around and enter the palace, suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves, immediately looked back, and happened to see Xiao Moyan riding a horse.

"Shaoning!" Xiao Moyan shouted from afar.

Xuan Shaoning ran to the door of the palace, "It's very punctual!" ”

"Phew!" Xiao Moyan turned over and dismounted, "Let's go to the West City, we won't ride a horse, and my horse will be temporarily tied in front of the Yuwang Mansion, okay?" ”

"Of course!"

The western urban area is the area with the highest concentration of shops in the capital, with wine shops, teahouses, inns, green buildings and so on. Xuan Shaoning and Xiao Moyan walked side by side to a teahouse.

"Too one-size-fits-all?" Xuan Shaoning looked at the signboard, "Quite a meaningful name." ”

"Taiyiju's face is small, but the inside is big, follow me!" Xiao Moyan walked in first, and when the shopkeeper saw Xiao Moyan, he hurriedly ran up, and said with a smile on his face: "The places where the officials are going are ready." ”

"Good!" Xiao Moyan took some broken silver and stuffed it into the little second-hand, and Xiao Er ran away after saluting.

"You're a regular customer, so familiar?" Xuan Shaoning asked with some surprise.

"Hehe, I like the goose yellow ink cake here the most, so I'll come to taste it every few days, come with me!"

Xuan Shaoning followed Xiao Moyan through a door curtain, and the space in front of him suddenly became spacious: the corridor paved by bamboo under his feet led to the end, and there were more than a dozen private rooms on both sides of the corridor, with the feeling of being a single door, each door was empty, the curtains were fanning, and the figures inside could be vaguely seen through the carved windows.

"Another major feature of this Taiyi House is that it can be separated by walls without ears!" Xiao Moyan smiled slyly, "Go, they're all waiting!" ”

Xiao Moyan's private room was in the innermost part of Taiyi's residence, and when he opened the door of the carved pavilion, Xuan Shaoning was taken aback, Yan Keran, Du Shaoyin, Su Qian, Mu Qingyuan, and Zhao Kexin were all there, and a person in the corner was squinting and holding a grass, it was Ye Kai! As soon as everyone saw Xuan Shaoning, they immediately made a small commotion for a while.

"You're all there?" Ye Kai looked at Xuan Shaoning with half-open eyes, "Shaoning, I haven't seen you for a year, is it time to call you Xuan Centurion?" ”

Xuan Shaoning walked into the private room and sat down, with an uncontrollable smile on his face, "Then what does Senior Brother Ye Kai call them?" ”

"Haha, it's really witty!" Ye Kai casually picked up the wine jug and poured wine for Xuan Shaoning.

"How dare you bother Senior Brother Ye Kai to pour the wine himself?" Although Xuan Shaoning said so, he raised the wine glass and waited for Ye Kai.

"Senior Brother Ye Kai's temperament is afraid that it will be difficult to change in this life, Shaoning, let's try this Taiyiju's signature goose yellow ink crisp first." Su Qian picked up a piece of pastry with a golden appearance and handed it to Xuan Shaoning's blue and white plate.

Seeing the goose yellow ink crisp, Xiao Moyan couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

"The yellow color of this goose yellow ink crisp is derived from the egg yolk, but the inside is pitch black, which is the sesame seeds that are ground into powder and condensed with sugar gelatin, which is soft in the mouth, and soon the appearance will melt, leaving the sesame seeds inside, bite it, and the fragrance is overflowing!" Du Shaoyin actually knew so much about this pastry.

"Haha, only a culinary expert like Shaoyin will savor the connotation, we, as long as it's delicious!" Yan Keran also took a piece and put it in his mouth.

"Hey, are you all here for a snack?" Zhao Kexin sneered.

"Yes, we have been together today for a year; Second, it's really serious. Mu Qingyuan said solemnly after closing the door of the private room.

Xuan Shaoning tasted a mouthful of goose yellow ink crisp and said: "Mo Yan, I saw your court clothes at yesterday's birthday banquet, as far as I know, only officials above the fifth grade can enter this birthday banquet. ”

Xiao Moyan had long expected Xuan Shaoning to ask this question, "You are right, my current position is a member of the Ministry of Labor, but it is from the sixth grade, and I am not qualified according to the rules, but yesterday my father patted his chest and brought me into the Linzhi Palace, and asked my father a few times, but he was stunned." ”

Seeing Xiao Moyan at a loss, Xuan Shaoning naturally believed him.

"Your official position is the highest in our place, and you are so young and promising, the emperor probably wants to find a horse for the princess!" Yan Keran teased.

"Hey, don't say it, this Princess Yunxuan is really beautiful!" Xiao Moyan deliberately showed off: "It's a pity that you are the captain of the Seven-Rank Imperial Forest Guard, so you don't have the chance to see it!" ”

"You say you're fat and gasping, right, Lord Xiao? I haven't learned your boasting skills! Beautiful? Hehe, it's a shame that you can tell it! ”

Hearing Princess Yunxuan, Xuan Shaoning immediately flashed that touch of goose yellow in his mind, maybe it may not be "beautiful and unparalleled", but that girlish feeling is really unforgettable. I just want to defend myself and prove that what Xiao Moyan said is true.

"Let's discuss the matter of raising the bar another day, let's get down to business first," Su Qian reminded.

"Business? Aren't we talking about business? Except, of course, the beauty of the princess. Xuan Shaoning didn't understand.

"The main thing is that the Beijing Entrance Examination will be held every three years!" Zhao Kexin explained in one word.

"Beijing Entrance Examination? I've heard that although it's every three years, it's not easy, and it's what students all over the world look forward to, but what's so special about us? Xuan Shaoning still didn't understand.

"It's nothing special to us, but it's different for Yu Shaoyin." Yan Keran groaned at Du Shao with his mouth.

Du Shaoyin nodded, "That's right, although I am dedicated to studying cooking, but my career is what my father wants, and I swear in front of my father's grave that I will not disappoint him." ”

Xuan Shaoning immediately heard the clue: "What? Your dad died? ”

"Yes, he died of illness just a few months ago. It was then that I decided that I wanted to take the Beijing Entrance Examination! Du Shaoyin clenched the bamboo chopsticks in his hand.

Zhao Kexin hurriedly reached out and held Du Shaoyin's hand and comforted: "With your Qingshan Academy's cultivation, it must not be difficult to be nominated on the list. ”

"But Xin is right, I'm with you." Mu Qingyuan also encouraged.

Ye Kai sighed, "Qingyuan, it's too high!" With your father, you don't want to, you want to take the test yourself, the backbone is there, and we naturally know your literary talent, but ..... Can you guarantee the results? ”

"What do you mean by that?" Mu Qingyuan asked.

"Hey, after all, you have not entered the WTO deeply, and how deep and muddy the water of officialdom is, people who have not experienced it will not know!" Ye Kai let out a rare sigh, wiped his face, and continued: "It's a good thing to try, I wish you two gold list titles!" After saying that, he drank all the wine in his glass.

"I still believe in the fairness of the Beijing Entrance Examination, it is up to people to make things happen, and success is in heaven, no matter what the outcome is, we are here!" Xiao Moyan lifted everyone's mood at once.

"Yes!"

"His Royal Highness King Yu has been allowed by the emperor to stay in the capital for a few more days, and I have the opportunity to stay in the capital, and I will accompany you to the exam!"

A few people raised their glasses and drank as they encouraged each other.

Liangguo's system for selecting talents is divided into three levels: the township examination that is held every year, the general examination that is held every two years, and the Beijing examination that is held every three years. Only after becoming a township enter will they participate in the examination, and those who can be on the list of the examination are called tribute members; After having the status of a tribute, you can participate in the Beijing Entrance Examination, and those who can rank in the top 20 in the Beijing Examination can be directly awarded the fifth-grade official position, and the rest will also get official positions or alternate official positions of different ranks.

Liang Guo stipulated that only men could enter the official examination, but not all men could enter the examination, and they must have a clear household A certificate and the seal of a private school or official school to obtain the most basic qualifications for the entrance examination. Men over the age of 16 who have obtained the qualification to enter the examination can take the township examination, and only those who pass the township examination can take the general examination, and only those who pass the general examination can take the Beijing examination. Liang Guo has very strict requirements for the entrance examination, and the township examination and the general examination can only be one out of ten, and after the age of twenty-five, he is no longer qualified to enter the examination, so those who can really participate in the Beijing examination are talents who take one out of a hundred. It is precisely because of this high difficulty and long time that there have been many illegal acts such as fraud and bribery, and Emperor Liang has always hated fraud in the examination room, so the corresponding punishment is also extremely heavy.

This year, unlike previous years, coincides with the fiftieth birthday of Emperor Liang, the Beijing examination has expanded the scope of reference, as long as there are qualifications for the township, all can participate, this kind of good thing can only be met once in ten years, for the gentlemen is tantamount to a godsend, can grasp the opportunity of the Beijing examination, the future is a smooth road to life. Therefore, after Emperor Liang's birthday, the six departments of the three provinces of the capital began to prepare for the largest Beijing examination in the past ten years.

For this Beijing examination, it is not only the officials in the capital who are busy. On this day, Xuan Shaoning wandered around the street with nothing to do, and found that the capital was becoming more and more lively, with cars and people, a noisy scene, and the most surprising thing for Xuan Shaoning was that many inns hung out "full" signboards.

"I have been studying hard for decades, just for the time of the title!" Xuan Shaoning sighed with heartfelt emotion, although he had joined the army, Shizi's feelings were still deeply rooted in his heart.

"Let's go....... It's said that we're full, so go ask somewhere else! ”

"Where is it full, I just asked the person who stayed in the hotel, and he said that there are still vacant rooms!"

"Say no, it's gone, don't do business for people like you, let's go!"

"Profiteers! You guys are big bullies! ”

Xuan Shaoning was attracted by the noise not far ahead, two people were standing in front of an inn pushing and arguing with each other, and there were already many people around.

Xuan Shaoning took a closer look, this inn is called "Longxiang", and a huge wooden signboard has been hung at the gate "Full", a person who looks like a shopkeeper is standing at the door, and opposite this person is a person who looks like a scholar in a rough dress and a clean face, and his white face has been flushed because of the previous dispute, and he glared angrily, his fists clenched tightly.

"Still glaring at me! Our inn just doesn't entertain poor scholars like you, hum! The man turned around and went back to the store with a look of disdain.

The scholar gritted his teeth, withdrew the gaze that had been glaring at him, released his clenched fists, straightened the bags on his back, and slowly left in the eyes of the onlookers, either pity or ridicule. Xuan Shaoning felt the same way, and couldn't help but think of his even more unbearable situation eight years ago, so he shouted, "This brother, please stay!" ”

The scholar turned his head hesitantly and looked at Xuan Shaoning with puzzled eyes, and he even wondered if he was calling himself.

Xuan Shaoning walked quickly to the scholar's side, "Don't doubt it, my name is you." ”

The scholar tightened his bags again, and asked defensively, "Looking for me?" What are you looking for me? ”

"Looking at your outfit, you must have entered Beijing to participate in the Beijing Entrance Examination, right?" Xuan Shaoning did not directly answer the scholar's question, but began to analyze by himself, "A great opportunity once in a decade, all scholars will not miss it." Today, I traveled all the way and found that many inns were already full, so it is reasonable that you can't find a place to live for a while. ”

When Xuan Shaoning said this, the scholar became interested, "According to what you say, is it my fault that the dispute just now?" Everything only looks at the surface, and it is a superficial person to want to come to Brother Tai! The scholar simply expressed his attitude and turned his head to leave.

"I don't know how expensive you are, brother?" Xuan Shaoning didn't seem to care about the scholar's impatience at this time, and continued to ask.

"What does it have to do with you?"

"Looking at my brother's face, he must be the same age as me, he is already the age of a weak crown, but he still can't see through these many things, who is to blame?"

The scholar seemed to be stopped by Xuan Shaoning, and he couldn't answer for a while.

"This once-in-a-decade opportunity is not only for poor students like you, but also for the children of officials and eunuchs. It's not difficult for people to afford the money and charter the entire inn, just know it in their hearts, so why bother to make useless theories and embarrass themselves in vain? Xuan Shaoning didn't care about the scholar's expression at all, and said endlessly.

"There are some grievances, even if everyone knows about them, I have to stand up and talk about them. Even if no one listens, even if everyone laughs at it, as long as it is worthy of my heart, what does it matter! The scholar said firmly.

"What a 'worthy of my heart'! If you don't mind, would you like to settle in my place? ”

The scholar was obviously a little uncomfortable with this sudden turn of events: "You and I have never met, and we don't even know our names and surnames!" ”

"I didn't know before, but now I don't know? In Xia Xuan Shaoning, take the surname of Jingshi, use the name of 'Xiao Shao Jiucheng', as the centurion of the Xuanjia Army, and temporarily live in the Yuwang Mansion! Xuan Shaoning felt that it was better to be honest with such a strong person.

"Xuanjia Army? Yuwangfu? The scholar was amazed.

"King Yu has always loved talents, especially a bloody man like you, it just depends on whether you are willing?"

The scholar almost didn't think about it before agreeing, and said with both hands arched into fists: "In Xiajiang Weizhen, the hydraulic engineer is the Zhen of the river and the country, and the people of Baishui County, Yanzhou, this time they are indeed going to Beijing to take the exam, fortunately with the help of his brothers, if he has the opportunity in the future, he will definitely return it!" ”

Xuan Shaoning pressed Jiang Weizhen's hand and said frankly: "Let's not talk about the results of the Beijing examination for the time being, what you have to thank now is King Yu." ”