The news of the court has not yet spread.

For ordinary people, the return of the Iron Mask General to Beijing is not a big deal, at least it has nothing to do with them.

For many scholars, they don't pay much attention to it, especially the scholars of the Shu clan, who have been busy with their own big things recently.

There are people coming and going in the Star Picking Building, the business is much better than before, and there are many more readers, many of whom are dressed up and are obviously not able to eat and drink in the Star Picking Building - the Star Picking Building and the Invitation Moon Building have been fighting for so many years, which is one of the luxury places in Wudu.

But after this scholar competition, the owner decided to let this grand event coexist with the Star Picking Building, although it is a pity that it is not as lucky as the Yuelou to entertain the scholars of the Shi clan, and the exchanges are either rich or expensive.

"What if there was a competition like this every year?" The proprietor and the shopkeeper imagined, "This time thirteen Shu scholars were selected, and the future is bright, and they are elected every year. ”

The shopkeepers wanted to laugh a little: "How can there be such a competition every year?" Chen Danzhu can't always have trouble with Guozijian once a year, right? ”

However, as far as the current wind direction is concerned, the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages, although the loss of some money, but the popularity and reputation are greater, as for the future, wait for two or three years after this matter fades, and then think about it in the long run.

So the star building set up a platform, and invited the famous teacher Confucianism to ask the question, but if there is a scholar who can write a good article of high quality, the wine and food are free.

This allows many cystic and shy Shu scholars to come to the Star Tower to set up a banquet to entertain relatives and friends, and it is more enviable than spending money.

For a while, the scholars flocked to it, and other people also wanted to read the scholars' articles, which were elegant and elegant, and the Star Picking Building was often full, and many people had to make reservations in advance when they came to eat.

A group of gentlemen walked in in clothes ranging from old to new, and the guy who greeted the guests was about to say that there was no place for him, and if he wanted to write an article, he could only book it for three days, but when he got closer, he saw one of the men with a long face wrapped in an old cloak and a thin yellow face—

"Ah, Mr. Pan." The guys smiled and walked briskly and reached out to please, "Your room is ready." ”

A shopkeeper also came out and greeted with a smile: "Mr. Pan hasn't been here for some days." ”

Pan Rong smiled at them and returned the salute: "I've been busy lately, and I have done a lot of homework." Again, "It's the largest private room, isn't it?" ”

Now this ugly and poor scholar is different, he is a scholar hand-picked by the emperor, a disciple of Xu Luozhi, and although he has not yet taken office, he chooses the official positions below the sixth rank in the court, and he also talks and laughs with the three princes-

The shopkeeper personally led the way to send Pan Rong and his party to the highest and largest private room, and today Pan Rong invited not the powerful and nobles, but the friends who had studied hard with him.

After Pan Rong got his own future, he did not forget these friends, every time he interacted with the nobles of the scholars, he would try his best to recommend his friends, taking the opportunity of the fame of the scholars of the Shu tribe, the scholars were willing to make friends and help, so the friends had a good future, some went to the famous academy, worshiped the famous Confucian teacher, and some were promoted, and they wanted to go to a certain place to serve as an official.

Today is all about gathering together to celebrate and say goodbye.

Although sitting in the seat at this moment, everyone is still a little shabby, but it is completely different from when I first entered Beijing, when the future was at a loss, now everyone's eyes are bright, and the road ahead is also clearly illuminated.

"Ugly is right." A friend was happy and sad at the same time, "We should come to the capital, we have a chance to come to the capital, if he hadn't stopped me, I really couldn't stand it and left." ”

Another friend laughed: "Don't call ugly, it's indecent." ”

Pan Rong said solemnly: "I am not ashamed of my appearance and background, and it is my honor for Pan Rong to call me ugly in the future." ”

That is really known to everyone, and it will be famous for centuries, this sounds like a big talk, but it is not impossible for Pan Rong, everyone laughed and toasted in celebration.

"Ugly is right, this is our opportunity." A person who was borrowing outside the city with Pan Rong sighed, "Everything started from the sound outside the door, I am Chu Xiurong." ”

Not only did they have this kind of sigh, but the other people present also had the same experience, thinking back to that moment like a dream, and a little afraid, if the three princes were rejected at that time, everything today would not have happened.

"Now that I think about it, the promise made by the third prince at the beginning has really come true." One said.

The third prince said that he would invite His Majesty to rank them and let them become officials.

Later, when the results were announced, the emperor really appeared, summoned the winners, and praised them, in addition to the winners, the other Shu scholars who participated also rose to the top, although they could not have the same future as Pan Rong and the other thirteen people, but they all got the opportunity that was difficult to get in the previous Jiji camp.

Pan Rong is now closer to the three princes, and is more impressed by his demeanor and demeanor, and then thinks of the illness of the three princes, and is stunned, it can be seen that no matter how rich and noble people in this world are, it is difficult for everything to get their wish, he raised his glass: "Let's have a drink together, and wish the three princes a distant wish." ”

Everyone in the audience stood up and raised their glasses with a smile, and it was bustling with activity, when the door was hurriedly pushed open, and a person broke in.

"Something big, something big!" Someone shouted.

Everyone was taken aback, what happened again?

"Just now, the court, I want to carry out our competition and go to the state and county." The man gasped and said incoherently, "Every state and county, you have to compare it once, and then, to take the soldiers—"

didn't seem to hear his words clearly, the people present were stunned, some people were holding wine glasses, some wine glasses were already in their mouths, Pan Rong was also surprised and incredulous, and all eyes looked at the people who came quietly.

It wasn't until someone's hand was released that the wine glass fell and there was a thud, and the stagnation in the room exploded instantly.

"What's going on?" "Really?" "Every state and county has to compare?" "Every state and county can use a counselor?"

......

......

Earlier than the scholars of the Star Picking Building knew the news, many scholars knew about it, and they looked shocked, uneasy and helpless.

"How did this happen?" Someone angrily asked, "Hasn't Your Majesty already stopped thinking about it?" ”

"The iron-masked general was questioned by the officials because of Chen Danzhu's matter, and he became angry and laughed, laughing and saying that we and the other scholars lost, and forced Your Majesty, Your Majesty decided to let every state and county have a competition in order to appease the iron-masked general and for the sake of our face and reputation." An old man said, compared to before, he seemed to be much older, and his breath was weak, "For me to wait, Your Majesty is so kind, what else can I do?" Not comparable, is it afraid? Still don't know what to do? ”

Others, you look at me, I look at you, yes, what to do? I can't help it.

"What we can do now is to keep the numbers under control." One person said shrewdly, "Only thirteen people were elected in the capital, and the number of people in Nazhou County was suppressed to three or five, so there is no need to worry." ”

The others also came back to their senses, since this matter cannot be stopped, then it must be controlled, so they are chaotic "There is still time!" It can't be allowed to become routine. "And the examiner." There are many ways, a lot of details can be done, and the spirit is lifted for a while.

And the old man who spoke before stopped talking, looked at the discussion around him, looked stunned, sighed and sat down, Yi Xue Shi is indeed a new sprout, it looks fragile, but since it has broken the ground, I am afraid that it will grow into a towering tree unstoppable.

How did all this happen? The Iron Mask General? The third prince, no, it's all because of that Chen Danzhu!

.....

.....

Pan Rong's banquet dispersed, and many people left in a hurry to inquire about more detailed news, leaving only Pan Rong and his four partners sitting with a blank expression, obviously the mind was no longer there.

"Why didn't you leave?" Pan Rong came back to his senses and asked.

One of them stood up suddenly: "Yes, go, I want to go." ”

The other two came back to their senses and smiled: "What's the matter, there's no need to inquire about the news." ”

The man shook his head, "No, I'm going home." ”

At this moment, several people were stunned: "What are you doing when you go home?" You're crazy, you've just been favored by Lord Wu and promised to let you go to the county he is in charge of as a subordinate official-"

The man looked crazy: "No, I'm going to take the test myself!" I want to go back to my hometown, go to the state and county of my hometown, take the exam, I want to take my own knowledge, I want myself, I want to be an official of the imperial court, I want to be a protégé of the Son of Heaven, I want to be on an equal footing with Lord Wu! ”

With that, the man rushed out.

Crazy? The others stood up in fright and wanted to chase and shout, but Pan Rong stopped him.

"Let him go." He said, tears suddenly flowed from his eyes, "This is my real future, this is the fate in my own hands." ”

When I went back to take the exam, I was also an official, and now I could have been an official, why bother, my companions thought blankly, but I don't know if it was because of Pan Rong's words, or because of Pan Rong's inexplicable tears, they unconsciously got goosebumps.

Just like after the visit of the three princes that day.

Pan Rong also thought about that day again, and seemed to hear the sound of a visit outside the door again, but this time it was not the third prince, but a female voice.

The woman's voice shouted for him to open the door, and when he opened the door, everything changed.

"From now on, I will no longer be limited by the gate valve, and only by relying on knowledge, I can enter the country, I can rise to the top, and I can become an official!"

He is not alone, a few people, hundreds of people are different, and the fate of countless people in the world will be different.