The new emperor ascended the throne for two years and was twenty-three years old. The foreign enemy has not been settled, and the war continues. The courtiers were far away from the battlefield, and most of them still lived with wat boards. Most of the folk teahouses and taverns are discussing the state affairs of the Li Dynasty, and no one cares about the presumptuous speech for a while.

The unsuccessful students talked about it and found a place there, and even won the appreciation of some adults and were recommended to become officials in the court, an act that could not help but encourage others. The words said, the people who commented, the content became more and more bold.

"The state is foreign, why not fight the main war today? Isn't it possible that when the land under your feet becomes someone else's, you can say something to others like you? A man said that he was excited, slapped the table and stood up, waving his sleeves angrily and glaring at the man across from him.

The thin man opposite him also got up and put his hands in front of him, and said, "I have been living in the deep palace for a long time, how do you know about the battlefield and the suffering of the people?" Everywhere the war went, the grass and trees were accumulating corpses, the blood flowed in the Kawahara, and only the old and weak women and children were left in every household, and the matter of farming and mulberry was stagnant for a long time. It is certainly respectable for people on the battlefield to die under the sword of foreign enemies, but the people in the city should starve to death at home! ”

The man was dressed in a gray robe, with thin cheeks, a gray complexion, but fair facial features, and his black hair tied back with an old hair band. Arguing with others, although his voice was warm, his words were still strong, and he said sonorously: "War is also a battle, but now I have to pay for the baggage with surplus food and money." What Brother Tai just said was taken out of context and deliberately distorted! ”

"Wow, who's that?" Seeing the man in gray arguing with reason, he was violent, and someone on the side couldn't help asking.

"You don't know? This year's Tanhualang is called... Sikong what, oh, Sikong Yuan! Born in a poor family, the place where he lives is partial and shabby, and on the day of the list, the people who reported the good news almost didn't find where they were, and almost made a joke. ”

"Sikong Yuan?" The man pronounced the name in his mouth and wondered, "I haven't heard of this person." Did you pass the exam in the first year? Thinking of his repeated failures and his fame, he couldn't help but cast envious and admiring eyes at him.

The people who were with him couldn't help laughing twice, and whispered: "What's the use of that, not only is he poor, but he is also a leader." Don't look at him talking majesticly now, he usually talks to himself when he stays alone, and he doesn't contact people at the same time, who in the court dares to use such a different and eccentric person? ”

Hearing him say this, the man couldn't help but sigh. "It's a pity." Now those who are admitted to the DPRK as officials should be the first to deal with people, and their literary talents are second. Although people like Sikong Yuan have passed the scientific examination, they may not be able to become officials smoothly, and they don't know how to die if they can't keep it and die in the end.

"Huh." From the second floor, there was an abrupt woman's laughter. Everyone looked up and saw their clothes fluttering, and a white-clothed peony came from the second floor. Green silk is like ink, skin is as white as snow, that woman is simply favored by God, from green eyebrows to phoenix eyes, from Qiong nose to cherry lips are all beautiful and exquisite. Like a spring breeze and dawn of the mountains, and like the rain at the beginning of the day, Feihong stepped on the snow.

Today, we invite peonies and gather here for the sake of enjoying flowers. But looking at all the carefully found peonies, none of them are more graceful and beautiful, noble and elegant than her. She brushed all the way through the blooming flowers, the slender jade hand looked more delicate than the delicate petals, the movement slowly stopped, folded a flower in front of the nose and smelled, low eyes and a light smile to know what is the peony national color, the beauty of the city.

"Ping, Lord Pingning." Someone recognized her and bowed to her, which happened to be the one who was competing with the gray-clothed Tanhualang.

"The county lord has not moved around much in and outside the palace in the past two years, and I never thought that anyone would recognize him." She played with the flowers in her hand, and didn't look at him when she said this, but swept her eyes over Sikong Yuan's body.

"The county lord is peerless, three or four years ago, the villain and the teacher accompanied the palace to see each other from afar."

Accompany you into the palace?!

Everyone couldn't help but be taken aback when they heard this, and thought that they had come from from a failed candidate or a student from Beijing Middle School, but they had actually entered the palace with someone. Listening to the man's tone, his so-called mentor is afraid that it is not small. If this Tanhualang's words of arranging today's saints are passed on to the ears of his mentor and the ministers of the court, or to the ears of the present gods, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"The county lord is fine in this teahouse, and he has listened to the high-minded talk for a few days, but it is the first time that I have heard that someone dares to move the words to His Majesty." Ping Ning said lightly, and the smile in his tone seemed to be absent.

The man's heart rejoiced, and the hearts of the people were sorrowful. If the county lord of Pingning investigates, Sikong Yuan's words just now are suspected of being disrespectful, and I don't know if it will affect them. However, Sikong originally had a calm face, a fearless and fearless appearance, and stayed out of the matter.

I saw Ping Ning walking towards the chaise longue placed on the side, and the people in the vicinity took the initiative to disperse and let her go all the way, for fear of hindering the county lord's eyes and sweeping the county lord's interest. She turned around and sat down, leaned lazily to the side, looked at the flower in her hand and smiled: "It's been a few days since this word has been scattered, and I haven't seen Jing Zhaoyin to take care of it, so it must not be a big deal." ”

It's all scolded to the head of the Son of Heaven, why isn't it a big deal? However, why Jing Zhaoyin let this trend grow and flourish in Beijing is worth studying. Sikong Yuan glanced at her thoughtfully.

"The lord of this county has been tired of hearing it these days, so I will listen to it fresh today. What is in the hearts of the people today, you might as well talk about it? ”

There was silence below.

If no one speaks, then she will be named. "I remember that this year's Tanhua was named Sikong Yuan. Sikong Gongzi, why don't you start with you. ”

Start with Sikong Yuan? The county lord must have been displeased when he heard what he had just said.

Sikong Yuan's posture was upright, standing like a pine and cypress, he bowed to the county lord of Pingning, and said lightly: "What I want to say, Sikong has already finished speaking." After saying this, he remained motionless in his saluting posture, and never said a word again.

Ping Ning looked at him and nodded. "Alright, let's go back. In a few days, the palace will be conferred in front of the official, and it is better to visit the flowers in these unquiet places, so as not to lose his heart and lose his tongue. ”

"Yes, thank you for the point."

"Go ahead."

Everyone couldn't help but be stunned when they saw Sikong Yuan leaving the teahouse intact. The county lord didn't even blame him, that... It should be all right, right?

Ping Ning looked at the rest of the people, "You don't say it? I'm afraid you won't be able to leave for a while, or is this county lord disturbing your interest here and you need me to avoid it? ”

Let the county lord of Pingning avoid them, I'm afraid that my head has stayed enough on my head and wants to die.

So the words about "the new emperor's weak body", "indecisive above the court", and "good luck to sit on the throne" all came, Pingning supported his head and listened to them with great interest, and finally almost when they were in a mess, and when their brains turned back to ask her for a while, they threw the flower in their hands on the face of the man who was just not far in front of her, scolded the most fiercely, and tried to take advantage of the chaos to guide others.

smiled and groaned: "Talking about the son of heaven should be the son of heaven, and the nine clans should be punished." ”

When they heard this, their hearts sank. That's not what you just said, it's not for them!

"Today, the lord of the county should not have heard it. But if there is a word related to the new emperor in the future, it should not be passed on but it is passed out-" Ping Ning paused, and the rest of the words were self-evident. Turning his eyes, he glanced at the few people who had just deliberately created a momentum, and said coldly: "Jingzhao Yin Chen Ruohai, if he turns a blind eye at that time, the county lord will personally come to him to find him." Do you remember it all? ”

The few people who were secretly warned lowered their heads, and their hands and feet were as cold as falling into an ice cave by the glance she had just seen, and they didn't want the county lord of Pingning to have such a stunning momentum. They were afraid that they would have been exposed a few days ago, and today the county lord used Sikong Yuan's reason to beat them. This thing... I'm going to go back and report to Lord Chen.

"Pingning is so messing around, something will happen sooner or later."

"Let her go, who's in charge of her?"

It was Cui Jingyu who spoke, as well as Cui Yanyu, who had just returned from the battlefield a few days ago. When Pingning returned to the private room, Cui Jingyu hurriedly pulled her over and said, "You stood up for your ninth brother so much, he left without even saying thank you!" ”

Ping Ning remembered the dark color cloth he had just looked up and saw, and smiled: "He has a thin face, I understand." ”

Phew. Cui Jingyu said in her heart: If he wasn't the emperor, she would have beaten him up a long time ago. abducted her beautiful cousin for no reason.

Cui Yanyu has just come back, and he has heard the situation in Beijing in the teahouse in the past few days. "Although it is the words of the people, the topics that can be talked about are more extreme, especially for the current war, it seems that someone is deliberately guiding, and there is a suspicion of disturbing the people's hearts."

Ping Ning nodded, "Yes, Chen Ruohai is afraid that he has also been lying in this troubled water." If it weren't for the tension between the DPRK and China, and the fear of startling the snake, His Majesty would have intended to get rid of him. It's just that today's spearhead is already aimed at His Majesty, and he doesn't know how to restrain himself, so don't blame His Majesty for turning his face and being ruthless. The country is employing people, and has just finished the scientific examination, and this year's champion seems to be the same age as him, and it has quite a relationship. After saying that, she smiled, revealing a hint of conspiracy.

Cui Jingyu: "This year's champion... It's the one in his thirties, called... What's it called? ”

Cui Jingyu asked Cui Yanyu for help, Cui Yanyu sighed funny, touched her head and said, "I just returned to Beijing, you ask me?" Can you do it? "That being said, he helped her out." This year's champion is the son of a merchant in Zhengzhou, Tao Xiuru. ”

"Merchant's son?" Cui Jingyu was stunned. Although it is a farmer and a businessman, there are also those who hope to get rid of their business status and let their children and grandchildren join the government. However, the identity of the son of a merchant will attract a lot of criticism in the imperial court...

"Does he have anything to do with Chen Ruohai?"

"Bang Lang..."Ping Ning smiled, "Jingyu, what do you think of the champion in your thirties?" ”

"Uh... I've heard that there will be people who take the exam until they are fifty or sixty years old, and if they are in their thirties, they are still young. ”

"That's right. It is said that Tao Xiu is so brilliant that he was very optimistic when he participated in the scientific expedition for the first time at the age of 22, and was even regarded as a thorn in the side of more than half of the students. However, such a person did not even get to the last place on the list. ”

"Is it Chen Ruohai's hands and feet?"

"Brother Emperor showed me his exam papers back then—"

Cui Yanyu frowned, "He showed you the candidate's answer sheet?" Monkey business. ”

Ping Ning smiled and continued, "Although the idea is a little green, it has a lot of merits, and it is a material that can be made. Chen Ruohai framed him for being arrogant and arrogant, and contemptuous of the imperial examination, and the first emperor ordered Tao Xiu not to enter the official career again in his life. Later, when the new emperor ascended the throne and granted amnesty to the world, he had this opportunity, but his mood was much more vicious than back then. ”

"Is it really okay for such a person to ask him to join the ranks? Wait, how do you know he's turned vicious? Xiao Chulan also showed you this year's answer sheet?! Cui Yanyu was a little incredulous, from Jingyu's mouth, he had probably heard about Xiao Chulan and Pingning, but Xiao Chulan was like this, how could he think that his cousin was going to become a demon concubine of the country, and he would be in trouble!

"Pingning, he is now the emperor, you and him... There should be a degree in between. Cui Yanyu was not at ease with Xiao Chulan in his heart, so he couldn't help but remind her.

"Don't worry, I understand." Ping Ning held his head with one hand, and a light smile hung on the corner of his mouth. I heard him relay it after the completion of the paper. If it were in the past, it would be impossible for him to be named the top of the list with such a heart. However, in special times, it is not impossible to counter violence with violence. ”

Cui Yanyu put his hand on the table, he was soaked in the sea of blood in the corpse mountain, and he had a special maturity and stability than the children of Jingzhong.

"I heard that Xiao Chulan's throne was obtained by luck, but it seems that this is not the case." He looked at Ping Ning and said, "He ascended the throne of God, Ah Ning, do you really have no selfishness?" ”

"Even if there is, it's not for my own sake."

If it was for her, she would have thrown this gift away a long time ago. As for Xiao Chulan, he was victimized by himself. Obviously, his body is weaker than ordinary people, but he still wastes his life in order to get involved in this kind of right and wrong.

If he wasn't royalty, if this was a peaceful and prosperous world...

He should wear a white dress, live quietly in a small courtyard of mountains and rivers, listen to the wind and enjoy the flowers in the sun, occasionally do paintings, and have a healthy body that he has always wanted, and maybe practice martial arts and swords, and then live a long life.

As long as he is not a royal family, as long as this is a peaceful and prosperous world...

Brother Jiu will probably become such a picturesque man.

"A-Ning, A-Ning... Anin! Cui Yanyu frowned, "Why are you stunned?" ”

"Nothing."

It's just a little fantasizing.

*

The three of them walked out of the teahouse.

"Zhizhou, what's wrong?" Huo Bai looked in the direction that Shen Zhizhou was looking, and saw a woman in white who couldn't hide her own beauty and brilliance, as well as other people around her who were not ordinary people.

"Pingning, county lord?" Shen Zhizhou whispered.

Huo Bai accompanied her out to buy herbs, carrying a large bag of things on her shoulder. "Is it someone you know?"

Shen Zhizhou shook his head, "I once had a relationship, but I rarely saw it after that, and the county lord almost didn't even come to the palace in the past two years." She's a good person, though! ”

While walking, she told Huo Bai about the incident of rushing into Pingning in the palace back then. "All in all, she is a big beauty with a good background, good looks, and a good personality."

Huo Bai hesitated for a while, took a fancy to the orchid hairpin on the stall on the side, immediately bought it, and inserted the hairpin into Shen Zhizhou's hair with his other empty hand.

"Well, it's good-looking. In my eyes, Zhizhou is the best looking in the world. ”

Shen Zhizhou touched the hairpin on his head, his face suddenly turned red, and he looked away. "I'm ordinary, I can't compare with the county lord..."

"Kindness and simplicity, I like this kind of Zhizhou."

"Spending money indiscriminately will be said by your brothers." She smiled and took Huo Bai's empty hand.

"It's a little money I've saved. Moreover, they won't say anything if they spend it on Zhizhou. Huo Baila shook her hand lightly, and said with a smile: "Stay with me for a while before returning to the palace, when will we meet next time?" I miss you so much~"

Shen Zhizhou smiled: "I haven't left yet." ”

"But it's sad to think that it will take a long time to see each other after separation."