Leaving the Reading Academy, Xiao Rui returned to the palace.

At the end of the next morning, several princes were left behind by Emperor Xia, and the intention of staying was also related to the imperial examination, and His Majesty wanted to select a prince to serve as a prisoner for the examination.

The prince's escort, with a prominent status, can supervise violations of law and discipline and favoritism in the process of the imperial examination, according to Xiao Rui's plan, this escort must be handed over to Xiao Jing, the eighth prince.

Xiao Jing did not disappoint Xiao Rui, he hated Xiao Yiheng so much now, so he naturally came the opposite, and rolled up his sleeves passionately and sang the opposite!

Now that Zhou Mingwen has become the chief examiner, then he Xiao Jing will be a companion, once he finds a problem in the process of the imperial examination, it will inevitably become a big thing, no trouble can create trouble, and no difficulty must create difficulties. Your discomfort is my comfort. Seeing your pain is my joy.

Xiao Yiheng naturally strongly objected, and he was ready to join forces with his uncle, completely taking this scientific expedition as an excellent opportunity for himself to gain prestige, so he recommended himself and fought for it.

But the other princes didn't want to see him as a dominant family, so they all supported Xiao Jing, and Xiao Rui could only give Xiao Yiheng a helpless sorry smile and raise his hands to support Xiao Jing.

After all, his plan still needs Xiao Jing's full help, and it will not be conducive to operation if he does not become a companion.

Emperor Xia finally set the tone, with Xiao Jing as the accompanying prisoner.

Before leaving, Xiao Rui inadvertently asked Emperor Xia: "Father, who will accompany the prisoner over there in the martial arts examination?" ”

The Great Xia State has a parallel civil and military examination, but the influence of the martial arts examination is far less than that of the liberal arts examination, because the liberal arts examination is on the list, that is, it is a sure step into the official career, but the martial arts examination is just a convenient stepping stone, and the people on the list will enter the military general system, but the promotion depends on military merit, and it is difficult to move an inch without military merit, so this also leads to the fact that the martial arts examination is the foil of the liberal arts examination, and the degree of attention is naturally very low.

The chief examiner of this year's martial arts examination is Langzhong of the military department, but the accompanying supervisor has not been decided, so Xiao Rui asked Emperor Xia.

Emperor Xia said with a smile: "Wen Wu is the first, Wu Wu is the second, the martial arts examination is determined by winning or losing, and it is more difficult to cheat for personal gain, so in previous years, the imperial examination rarely set up a companion, and this year it was also intended to be so, since you asked, why don't you be sent to be a prisoner, are you willing?" ”

Xiao Rui commanded: "The son is willing!" ”

Several princes also have no objections, after all, the influence of the martial arts examination is too small, and it is purely thankless to be a companion.

Leaving the palace, Xiao Rui did not return home, but took a car to the Champion Hou Mansion.

Last night, Champion Hou sent a message, inviting him to come over for a while, and Champion Hou, who had been busy for a few days, finally calmed down, so he was ready to continue testing this prospective son-in-law.

In terms of morality and physique, Xiao Rui performed well, which made the champion Hou's recognition of him improve a lot, and now that the wood is in the boat, he also understands that he is powerless to resist this family business, who said that he is not in the capital, his good brother and good daughter have agreed to this matter.

He came to the test, more to seek a kind of comfort and spiritual satisfaction, but also to say to others: Look! Even if Xiao Rui is a prince and a prince, and the daughter of my champion Marquis chooses a husband, she will have to pass my level! This is also the importance that Your Majesty attaches to me!

When Xiao Rui came to the Champion Hou Mansion, he was invited into the main hall.

This time, the champion Hou was extremely enthusiastic, which made Xiao Rui feel flattered, and his son-in-law was a high-ranking guest, which was not false at all.

Zhuge Yuanba was accompanied, and the three of them chatted for a while, which was to get to the point.

Champion Hou said: "The day before yesterday when I entered the palace, I asked Your Majesty for my guilt, as a courtier, how could I test the royal prince, this is a transgression, it is a disrespectful crime." But Your Majesty Shengming, sympathetic to my beloved daughter, did not punish, and gave me an oracle, which can replace His Majesty to study the knowledge of King Xian, so I also hope that His Royal Highness King Xian Haihan! ”

Xiao Rui smiled: "Master Hou is serious, you test me for my father, naturally you can't talk about overstepping." ”

This is the high wisdom of the champion Hou, who went directly to ask for a message, so that no one would say that he was arrogant and rude, and it could also show His Majesty's trust and respect for him. In addition, he also gave Xiao Rui a small dismount.

Champion Hou said with a smile: "Last time, when it came to morality, intelligence, physical fitness, beauty and labor, His Royal Highness had outstanding ability. In terms of wisdom, His Highness can come up with a plan to flood the pastures with just a topographic map, so his intelligence is also passable. And His Royal Highness is kind to everything, and labor is not a problem. So there is only one beauty left, and it still needs to be studied. ”

When Xiao Rui heard this, he was unconvinced: "Master Hou, my handsome and chic face is not beautiful?" How do you let other men live? ”

"Ahem..."Zhuge Yuanba squirted out a mouthful of tea, fortunately it was far away, otherwise it sprayed Xiao Rui's face.

Then he glared at Xiao Rui, his eyes seemed to ask: Do you want a face?

Xiao Rui replied to him with an unconvinced expression, in his opinion, among the moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic labor, his best is beauty, his damn appearance, handsome always wakes up in the middle of the night, looks at himself in the mirror, and roars: Why are you so handsome!

Compared with Zhuge Yuanba's faux pas, look at the champion Hou, and nod approvingly: "Your Highness is handsome and chic, with outstanding appearance, and has inherited Your Majesty's martial and heroic appearance." ”

said this, not only praised Xiao Rui, but also patted Xia Huang's fart, no wonder people can become the champion of the three armies, and Zhuge Yuanba can only be a commander.

"However, when I say beauty, I don't mean the appearance, but the beauty of the country." Champion Hou explained: "As a prince, His Royal Highness is naturally higher than ordinary people, ordinary people pursue aesthetics and appreciation, and are more obsessed with appearance, while His Royal Highness's aesthetics are in the country. The summer wind and rain are beautiful, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, which is the pursuit! As the prince of Great Xia, Your Majesty's dragon son, what do you think you can do for Great Xia? ”

Xiao Rui was stunned, he didn't expect the champion Hou to ask such a sensitive topic.

Zhuge Yuanba looked at his eldest brother and understood the meaning of his question.

If he wants to support Xiao Rui as the crown prince, then he is also on this boat, so he is not asking questions now for the sake of choosing a son-in-law, but for the Zhuge family to choose the master!

He wants to see if Xiao Rui is worthy of the Zhuge family's great help, and whether he is worthy of supporting the survival of the Zhuge family.

Xiao Rui was silent, he moved his lips but didn't speak, because he really didn't know how to answer Champion Hou.

"Your Highness, tell your true thoughts, we guarantee that only the two of us know your words, even if it is a big rebellion, we promise that it will never be revealed! I swear by the glory of the Zhuge family! Zhuge Yuanba comforted.

Xiao Rui hesitated for a moment and said with a wry smile: "It's not that I don't want to say it, because I don't think it's practical to say it, after all, if you want to do something for the future of Great Xia, you must have a high enough position!" If I can't be the prince, then I am committed to being a virtuous king, a virtuous virtuous man! I don't want to be able to benefit the summer, but I hope to be worthy of my identity. If the prince can't tolerate me, then I will be in a safe corner and govern a state or a government well, and I will be worthy of my heart. ”

"What if it's the crown prince?" Champion Hou asked.

Xiao Rui smiled: "I once read a passage in an ancient book and admired it very much. The sentence is written like this: no harmony, no compensation, no land, no tribute, the Son of Heaven guards the country, and the king dies. In the past, Daxia was bullied and even lost half of its territory, but when my father ascended the throne, he worked hard and exhausted to make the weak Daxia come back to life, no longer afraid of the surrounding powers, and did not make peace, no compensation, no land, and no tribute. If I am the crown prince, I will definitely follow my father's example, take this ancient saying as a warning, follow in my father's footsteps, and lead Daxia to greater glory. ”

Champion Hou and Zhuge Yuanba were suddenly in awe.

"The Son of Heaven guards the country, and the king dies!" Champion Hou muttered, for some reason, when he read this sentence, it was not domineering but desolate.

Xiao Rui also felt that his nose was slightly sour, and his heart was even more deeply touched, he remembered the Ming Dynasty in his previous life.

The Ming Dynasty started between the soldiers, and Zhu Yuanzhang, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, did the Son of Heaven guard the country, and after 16 emperors, he finally Chongzhen. Even though the country was ruined, Emperor Chongzhen did not escape, and finally fulfilled the promise of the king's death.

Time is like quicksand, and it is difficult to return it from the fingers, but in the same way, time has also recorded this glorious history for us.

Every time he touched the handwriting imprinted in the history of the Ming Dynasty, Xiao Rui reminded him of the years of a strong empire, and he was also reminding himself, what is perseverance, what is arrogance, and similarly, how such a prosperous empire went to destruction.

Therefore, if he becomes the crown prince or even becomes the emperor, Xiao Rui feels that this passage is a warning to himself.

If you can't sweep Liuhe and unify the eight wildernesses, then protect the country and protect the society with your life!